


Striking Matches

by ShyVioletCat



Series: Striking Matches [1]
Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Petty Games, Slow Burn, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:00:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 36,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22359889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShyVioletCat/pseuds/ShyVioletCat
Summary: After accidentally breaking his neighbour’s door down Rowan finds himself in an awkward situation.This started with a prompt sent on Tumblr then each of the following chapter followed the same routine.Prompt: "You burst through the door because you thought you smelled smoke but it was just incense, listen you’re paying for that buddy.“ au - For Rowaelin please ☺️ I hope you’re having a wonderful day
Relationships: Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn, Rowaelin - Relationship
Series: Striking Matches [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1609564
Comments: 34
Kudos: 150





	1. Chapter 1

Rowan had just got off his shift at the fire station. He was exhausted.

He’d been about an hour from finishing his rostered shift when they’d got a call about a factory fire. Rowan and his team had rolled out to deal with the fire and it had been raging and fierce. Luckily the building had been empty.

Three hours later he was trudging up the stairs to his apartment.

He’d showered at the station but he could still feel the soot and grime on his body and in his silver hair. Could still smell the smoke.

Rowan stopped dead. Why could he still smell smoke? He was outside the door of his obnoxious and annoying, but very attractive, neighbour’s door. And he could smell smoke coming from under it.

Rowan went into autopilot, still running on the adrenaline from fighting the fire, and before he really realised what he was doing her was breaking through her door. It only took him two tries to get through.

He stumbled into the apartment expecting there to be flames everywhere. But there wasn’t.

There was just Aelin, standing in the middle of her living area with a cup of tea in her hand.

“Um, ok,” was all she said before taking a sip from her cup.

Rowan looked around frantically for signs of the fire, the smoke he had smelled. There on the shelf, incense was burning. He felt his face fall.

“What the hell was that about?” Aelin asked.

Rowan looked back at her, this time really looking at her. The sight of her nearly floored him.

Aelin wore a nightgown of pale blue, it barely hit her mid-thigh and clung to every dip and curve on her body. When she tilted her head at him Rowan realised he still hadn’t said anything.

“See something you like, fireman Whitethorn?”

“I thought I smelled smoke,” he explained with a shake of his head.

Aelin lifted her perfectly groomed brows. Then laughed.

“You burst through the door because you thought you smelled smoke when it was just incense,” Aelin placed her tea on the side table near her leg. “Listen, even though you’re on your way to fulfilling about three of my fantasies, you’re paying for that buddy.“

Rowan completely ignored the quip about the fantasies. But the door? That was fair enough he supposed, he thought to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yeah. Sorry about that. I’ll definitely deal with it,” Rowan said. He tried hard not to look at Aelin, but her allure was almost mesmerising.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Aelin said.

Rowan straightened. “What question?”

Aelin took a few steps towards him. “See something you like?”

Rowan retreated back. Nope. He was not doing this. She was obnoxious, rude and a brat.

“Definitely not,” Rowan ground out.

She just shrugged. “How unfortunate. Seeming as you’re staying the night.”

“What?” Rowan blurted. That was something he definitely didn’t remember agreeing to.

“Thanks to you, my door no longer locks. I’m sure you’re well aware of the dodgy hell hole we live in. I am definitely not staying here tonight, by myself with a door that doesn’t lock.”

Rowan went to protest, but Aelin was right. He wouldn’t want to sleep in his own apartment without a locking door.

“Fine. I’m going to shower, then I’ll be back,” Rowan said as he made to go back through the ruined door.

“I’ll be waiting,” Aelin sensually called after him. When she saw his shoulders tense her wicked laugh chased him out the door.

What a gods damned idiot he’d been. Now he was going to pay for it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fireman Rowan AU (after the first and hes staying with aelin) "You know thats a clear fire hazard, right?"

Rowan sulked backed to his apartment. He lived three doors over and every step of the way he couldn’t stop thinking about his stupid actions.

Aelin’s door was properly broken. He not only was going to have to pay for it, but also contact the despicable landlord and explain what happened. And who knows how long it would take for him to get the repairs organised. How long would he be sleeping on Aelin’s couch in retribution?

He stripped off and turned the hot water on in his shower, taking way too long to heat up. Rowan might have taken longer than usual in the shower, unquestionably avoiding having to go back to Aelin’s apartment. When exhaustion started to weigh on him he got out.

Rowan grabbed a pair of sweats and a tshirt to sleep in and pulled them on. Not his usual sleeping attire but he was sleeping in company so it would have to do. Then he took a pillow and blanket from his bed and headed back.

When he got to Aelin’s door he knocked. Aelin sang out for him to come in, so he did. Aelin had made up the couch for him with a pillow and blanket, much more than he expected her to do under the circumstances.

But he could still smell that damned incense and was still wearing that ridiculous nightgown while she tidied the kitchen.

“You know that’s a clear fire hazard, right?” Rowan said as he pointed to the incense.

Aelin came out from the kitchen arms crossed over her chest. The action drew Rowan’s eyes to Aelin’s chest and he quickly averted his eyes back to her face. Aelin just gave him a knowing smile. It seemed she had no issue with wearing scraps of fabric in front of someone she barely knew.

“You want to talk to me about hazards, mister hulking brute who literally breaks down my door?”

Rowan narrowed his eyes and turned to the couch. Aelin just laughed. Then went to extinguish the incense.

“Well, I’m going to bed. Goodnight Fireman Whitethorn.” Aelin walked towards her bedroom, then called over her shoulder, “Try not to break anything else. Or else I’ll have to start a tab.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Are you asleep?” “Not anymore.” sounds like a good one for Fireman Rowan au? 😂😂😂

A violent whirring woke Rowan up from his spot in the couch. It took him a moment remember where he actually was. But the stiff pain in his neck and dead leg soon reminded him.

The whirring stopped and a much too cheerful voice asked, “Are you asleep?”

“Not anymore,” Rowan groaned.

“Good,” Aelin said then the whirring started again.

Rowan sat up and glared at Aelin who was blending something pink in a blender. She ignored him.

Rowan threw himself back on his pillow with a heavy sigh. Aelin finally turned off the blender.

“Now you’re awake,” she said from the kitchen, “I’d like to know what your plans are for today. As I have to go to work and I’d rather not leave my apartment unlocked and unattended. You know with the broken lock and all.”

Rowan rubbed his eyes. “I’ll handle it.”

He heard heels clicking on the floor. Rowan opened his eyes and saw Aelin standing there, cup in her hand and hair up, wearing a floral blouse tucked into a black pencil skirt. She looked nice, he admitted to himself.

“So?” Aelin demanded.

“So what?” Rowan barked back.

“What are you going to do?”

Truthfully, Rowan didn’t know. By some stroke of luck he did have today off.

“I said I’ll handle it,” Rowan said.

Aelin just narrowed her eyes. Then those clicking heels disappeared through the problematic door.

Rowan just lay there, trying to figure the best and quickest way to solve this problem. He didn’t know how many more nights he’d be able to sleep on this couch.

First step. Calling the landlord.

Rowan pulled out his phone and scrolled through until he found the right number then called it.

Voicemail.

He called again after he’d taken his stuff back to the apartment.

Voicemail.

Then again after eating breakfast which he ate sitting at his front door so he could keep an eye on Aelin’s place.

Voicemail.

When he got the voicemail for a fourth time he decided to take a different approach and dialled another number instead.

“Hey. No, stop swearing at me. I’m aware what the time is and know it our day off. But I need your help.”

~~~~~

About an hour later he heard his name being called from the hallway. Rowan went to the door and swung it open, the broken lock rattling. Fenrys stood in the hallway, looking dishevelled and cranky.

“I’m here, what do you want me to do?” Fenrys snapped.

“I need you to sit on this couch while I go to the hardware store,” Rowan explained.

“Why?” Fenrys asked. Rowan just indicated to the door. Fenrys walked up to the door and inspected the damage. “What did you do? Isn’t this that hot girls apartment that you don’t like?”

Rowan rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I sort of busted through her door last night because I thought I smelled smoke.”

“You thought you smelled smoke?” Fenrys’ face was slowly being overcome by amusement.

“It was incense.”

Fenrys broke. He was laughing so hard he snorted as he walked to the couch, grabbing the unused pillow Rowan had left on the armchair.

“Alright. Off you go, Dumbass,” Fenrys said, making himself comfortable.

Rowan didn’t say anything back, Fenrys was right. The way the way the broken locked jingled sounded like a mocking laugh as Rowan closed the door a little too hard.

~~~~~

Rowan had no idea what he was doing. He didn’t have the skills to properly replace the lock, but he was sure he could find some alternative, just until he could finally get onto the landlord and get the door fixed properly.

Rowan saw a sliding lock he could easily screw to the back of the door and the catch to the door frame. But locking it from the outside… That was the real conundrum. Browsing the isles a few more times Rowan finally found something that could work. He grabbed his supplies and headed to the counter.

~~~~~

Aelin was bone tired. Work had really done her in today and she was looking forward to a long shower then some mindless TV. Coming off the stairs she fished around in her bag for her keys, but then remembered that she didn’t need them.

When she got to her door she expected to be able to push it open, and to find Fireman Rowan glowering on her couch. But that is not what greeted her.

There was a big, ugly padlock and clasp attached to the front of her door. Aelin blinked once before she stormed over three doors and pounded on Rowan’s door. She didn’t stop until the door swung open revealing a golden haired man that certainly wasn’t Rowan Whitethorn.

“Hello,” he said with a smirk.

Aelin ignored him and let herself into the apartment, brushing by the stranger. Rowan was seated on his own couch, phone in his hand.

“A padlock? Are you serious?” Aelin snapped. “I might as well set some bolt cutters outside my door as an invitation.”

Rowan stood. “It’s not a permanent solution. Obviously.” Rowan reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. “I’ll get it fixed properly as soon as I can.”

Rowan held out the keys, but Aelin was still glaring at his face.

“What about from the inside? Or are you still planning on being my roommate?” Aelin asked.

Rowan rolled his eyes. Aelin suppressed her urge to slap him.

“There’s another lock on the inside,” Rowan said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Aelin let out a frustrated groan and grabbed the keys. She didn’t bother to say goodbye to Rowan as she turned and left.

The stranger called out, “Nice to meet you.”

But Aelin ignored him too. She went straight to the door and unlocked the hideous padlock and pushed the door open. Dropping the stupid thing in her bag she examined the other side of the door. A thick sliding lock, the kind you’d see on a backyard shed. Aelin took in a few deep breaths trying not to explode.

She practically slammed the lock into place before dropping her bag on the couch at heading for that blessed shower to think up various ways to get Rowan to suffer for his stupidity.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: More fireman rowan au? Aelin getting even with him over the ugly padlock? 😂

It had been three days and Aelin hadn’t heard anything more from Rowan. And she was still locking her door every morning with that damned padlock.

Maybe it was time to leave Rowan a message. The idea came to her as she climbed the stairs and saw the bright green sticky note on her folder reminding her to call Jake’s parents in the morning about how throwing paint is not an appropriate thing to do. And as a teacher, if there was one thing Aelin had copious amounts of it was office supplies.

She unlocked the padlock then when inside slid the other lock into place on the back of the door. Then Aelin rummaged around the apartment getting what she needed. By the end she had an armful of sticky notes and a handful of markers, which she dumped in her kitchen counter.

Then she started. On each post-it she wrote a note, especially for Rowan.

_Called the landlord?_

_Sorted the repairs yet?_

_When will my door get fixed?_

_Do anything stupid lately and forget to fix it?_

_Did you buy the ugliest padlock to match your face?_

That last one was a lie. Rowan was anything but ugly, but Aelin wasn’t about to admit otherwise. When she was sure she had enough Aelin took the pads and pads of sticky notes and walked out her door.

~~~~~

Rowan was ready to flop onto his couch and watch some mindless TV. But when he saw his door his plans would have to wait.

Every inch of it was covered in sticky notes of every colour. As he got closer he started to read what was on them his brows furrowed as he read, some were definitely more polite than others but they all had the same sentiment. He plucked one off.

_Fix my godsdamned door you hulking idiot_

Rowan crushed the note in his hand then whirled towards the said godsdamned door. He knocked loudly and waited for an answer as he heard footsteps within the apartment. Aelin opened the door and when she saw who it was she lent on the door frame, arms folded.

“I see you got my messages,” Aelin said.

Rowan look down at her. She wore a loose sweater and a pair of leggings. He guessed he should be thankful she was wearing actual clothes this time.

“I’m still trying to get your door fixed. You know what he’s like,” Rowan explained. “I hadn’t forgotten about it.”

“Well,” Aelin said with a smirk, “I just wanted to make sure.”

Rowan scrunched the paper in his hand. Aelin obviously heard it because that smirk turned into a grin.

“At least your door is a quick fix. Imagine how inconvenient it would be if it was actually broken to the point I’d have to come up with some half assed sorry excuse of a solution,” Aelin tapped her finger to her lips contemplatively. “Just imagine.”

“Would you have preferred me to sleep in your couch until I got the door fixed?” Rowan asked.

That grin on Aelin’s face turned feline as she looked him over. Rowan’s cheeks heated at her scrutiny and turned away before she could answer with whatever crude comment was about to come out of her mouth.

But she called after him. “Anytime you want to have a sleepover just let me know. I’ll make sure to wear you’re favourite colour.”

Rowan just started aggressively pulling off the sticky notes from his door. Aelin’s laughter chimed behind him then he heard the door close.

That door was going to be the death of him with these interactions it was forcing between him and Aelin. He was tempted to just up and move, save himself the headache.

But he was sure Aelin would track him down, wherever he went, just out of spite. Rowan decided it wasn’t worth the trouble as he pulled the last note off the door and called the landlord. Yet again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Feels like something Aelin would say to Rowan the firefighter: “Oh, you’re just grumpy.”

Lysandra had come over to hang out on Friday night and Aelin was regaling her best friend with the door saga.

“So I did the sticky notes…” Aelin thought for a moment, “four days ago. And still nothing. He doesn’t even update me with any effort he’s making.”

Lysandra sipped from her glass. “Maybe it’s time you left another message.”

“That’s what I’ve been thinking,” Aelin said throwing herself back on the couch. “But I just can’t think of what.”

They were both silent for a moment and then Lysandra let out a laugh.

“What?” Aelin asked.

Lysandra was grinning. “You remember that prank we played on Dorian last day of senior year?”

Aelin scrunched her eyebrows, trying to remember. When she did her face broke into a wide smile, then she was running off to the kitchen rummaging in the drawers and cupboards.

She appeared over the kitchen counter and said a little breathlessly, “I’ve only got one roll. And it’s almost out.”

“We’ll call in back up,” Lysandra said as she pulled out her phone, putting it to her ear. “Hey babe, can you swing by the store for us.”

~~~~~

Aelin and Lysandra were waiting for Aedion in the underground car park of the apartment complex. When he pulled up he popped the boot and the girls were there even before he got out of the drivers seat.

“Do you want to tell me why you need 15 rolls of cling wrap?” Aedion asked as he watched them gather armfuls of the rolls.

“See that truck over there?” Aelin said. Aedion nodded. 

Then Aelin’s mouth spread into a wicked smile and Aedion understood enough.

~~~~~

Rowan was moving down the stairs as fast as he could. He’d hit snooze one too many times and now he was cutting it fine.

He finally got to the parking lot and made for his car. Then he stopped.

The cab of the truck was completely wrapped up in plastic cling wrap. Layers and layers and layers of it. Then there on the drivers window was a bright yellow sticky note with one word written on it.

_Door_

Rowan saw red. He turned and ran back up the stairs, taking multiple at a time until he was on his floor. But he didn’t got to his apartment.

He pounded on Aelin’s door, for what seemed the thousandth time. He kept going until the door opened, Rowan didn’t care that it was 6am on a Saturday morning. Aelin was there still bleary eyed, hair messy from sleep. But she didn’t miss a beat.

“If you wanted to see me in my night clothes all you had to do was ask,” Aelin said as she yawned.

Because she was indeed wearing another one of her borderline indecent nightgowns, this one emerald green. Rowan didn’t say anything about it. He just held up the sticky note.

“You got my note,” she said, shaking out her hair a bit.

“This needs to stop. I’m going to be late for work,” Rowan ground out.

“You have to admit it’s pretty ingenious, me finding another door of yours to tamper with,” Aelin said.

“I have a job to get to and now I’m going to be who knows how late!”

“Oh you’re just grumpy,” Aelin said as she yawned again. “Just grovel a bit and you’ll be fine.”

“You plastic wrapped my car! I’m not grumpy, I’m angry,” Rowan bit out through clenched teeth.

“I’m angry that every day I leave the apartment I’m worried some kid is going to see that flimsy padlock and let themselves in. I’m angry that the only thing that’s keep my door locked at night is this stupid little bar, which barely lines up with the catch by the way.”

Rowan pinched his nose. “I’m trying.”

“Well try harder.”

Aelin slammed the door in Rowan’s face, not bothering with any goodbyes. He heard the lock on the other side of the door slide into place and it was like fuel to the burning fire of his anger.

He restrained himself from kicking the door the stomped over to his apartment hoping he’d be able to find something to cut through the cling wrap. And fast.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Fireman AU where Aelin's room actually gets broken into (but obviously she handles it like a badass) But rowan offers her to stay (mostly out of guilt) until the doors Really fixed? 👀

Aelin cursed the lack of elevator for the the millionth time. Coming home late after dinner with Aedion and Lysandra and then having climb six flights of stairs to reach her apartment was torture.

Aelin literally pulled herself up the last few steps by gripping the rail but she stopped dead on the landing. The padlock on her door wasn’t there. It was in pieces on the ground.

Her heart started thundering in her chest and she blindly felt around for the small can of deodorant she kept in her handbag. The door was only opened a crack, whoever had broken in could still be inside, making it look like nothing was amiss.

As quietly as she could Aelin crept towards her door and pushed the door open. The lights were off in the apartment and it was quiet until…

There was someone in her bedroom.

Shouldering her bag Aelin popped the lid the deodorant and gave it a quick shake. Then she was moving.

The person inside her room was was dressed in a black hoodie and was going through the contents on top of her chest of drawers. Her jewellery box and keepsakes.

“Hey!” Aelin yelled.

The person whirled and Aelin was there a moment later spraying the deodorant in their face. They yelped in pain and crashed back into the drawers, setting them rattling. They tried to barge past her but Aelin dealt out a quick jab and a left hook that had them dropping to the ground groaning in pain.

Just then the light light flicked on. Aelin turned around to see Rowan standing in her bedroom doorway.

“Are you okay?”

~~~~~

Rowan had been on his way to get his spare charger from the car when he saw that Aelin’s door was open, the padlock in pieces. He’d run in and followed the noises to the bedroom where he found Aelin standing over a groaning man on the floor.

“Are you okay?” He asked. She looked it, the only person who seemed to be hurt was the man on the ground.

“I’m fine, thanks for asking,” Aelin said as she breathed heavily.

They both looked down and the intruder. He was rubbing furiously at his eyes and had the other hand on his stomach. He was a fair bit bigger than Aelin, Rowan was surprised she had taken him down so easily.

Aelin pulled the bag off her shoulder and pulled out her phone. Rowan kept an eye on the man on the floor.

“Hey Chaol. You on duty?” Aelin said. “Good. Someone broke into my apartment.”

~~~~~

It took about 15 minutes for Chaol to arrive with a small team of police officers. They’d shut the burglar in her bedroom while they waited, Rowan holding the door shut. Aelin had downed about four glasses on water, one after the other, in an attempt to cool her adrenaline rush. Hadn’t done much to help, except that she now really needed to pee.

“I assume you want to press charges?” Chaol had come into the kitchen.

“Yep,” Aelin replied. “Will he press charges against me?”

“If he does it will most likely come to nothing. Seeming as we’ve found a bunch of your things stashed in his bag and pockets, and you’ve left no lasting damage,” Chaol explained. “Why is your door locked with a padlock and that flimsy sliding lock? One good push and anyone could get in.”

Aelin glared daggers in Rowan’s direction. He was giving a statement to another police officer, arms folded across his chest.

“That idiot over there broke my door thinking he was being a hero,” Aelin said.

“Rowan? We’ve crossed paths working. Firefighter right?”

Aelin nodded in response to Chaol’s questions. Chaol just looked confused.

“I’ll explain next time I see you. Right now I’d like to go to bed,” Aelin said.

Chaol nodded. “Fair enough. I’ll get everyone out as soon as I can. And call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” Aelin said.

She waited in her kitchen until everyone left. Rowan was the last. He lingered for a moment and looked like he was about to say something. Aelin ignored him and made her way to the bathroom, effectively dismissing him. She was too tired and too angry to have it out with him right now. So she opted for a shower instead.

~~~~~

Rowan felt terrible. He’d never even contemplated that Aelin’s apartment would actually be broken into. Just some vague threat that he never expected to happe. He had glanced at the sliding lock that he’d installed on the inside of the door.

It was a shocking job.

If he lent on the door hard enough he’d probably be able to get it open. When he had first installed it was fine, but his half assed attempt at installing it meant it had lasted barely a week.

He’d wanted to tell Aelin he was sorry. But she’d ignored him so he left instead closing the door behind him.

Rowan went to his car to get his charger, his legs burning as he climbed back up the stairs. When he got back to Aelin’s door he stopped. He knew what he had to do.

~~~~~

Aelin had just finished making a cup of tea when she heard a knock on her door, the door threatening to open from the force of it, even though it wasn’t a particular hard knock. Leaving the cup of tea on kitchen bench Aelin padded over to the door and opened it, dressed in a t-shirt, leggings and socks.

Rowan stood there, in his pyjamas, pillow and blanket in hand. He looked ready for a sleepover.

“I’m so sorry Aelin,” he said. “I didn’t think someone would actually break in. I’ll stay until I get the door fixed. No matter how long it takes. I’ve got this weekend off so I can dedicate two whole days to getting it sorted. I’m just so sorry.”

Aelin him in the face, at the sincerity there. “You’re just doing this because you feel guilty.”

“Yeah, that’s true. But I really should have been trying harder,” Rowan said and then shrugged.

Aelin just moved aside and let him in. He went straight to the couch and dropped his blanket and pillow there.

“I just made a cup of tea. Would you like one?” Aelin asked.

“Sure,” Rowan said as he followed her to the kitchen. “How did you manage to drop that guy anyway?”

Aelin pulled a mug from the cupboard. “10 years of kickboxing.”

Rowan let out a low whistle. Aelin smiled a little.

“I guess I’m lucky you never turned those skills on me considering the situation.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve thought about it. Especially when you came bursting in that first night,” Aelin said and laughed when Rowan’s face fell a little. “Just keep on my good side now and you won’t have to worry.”

“How exactly do a stay on your good side, Aelin?” Rowan took the mug Aelin offered.

Aelin gave Rowan a wink over the rim of her own mug. “I’ll let you know.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I know this is from the autumn prompt list but it feels like something to possibly put into the firefighter au: Rowan getting a splinter and Aelin being nice perhaps...? "Kissing the spot where the splinter was"

It was 7 am when Rowan woke up, his neck and back stiff from sleeping on the couch in Aelin’s loungeroom. He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to do this, especially considering that he needed a working body to do his job. He’d decided last night what his next move would be and he threw his blanket off and made for the door. Then he was descending the stairs, down and down all the way to the floor level.

It was strictly outlined in the rental agreement that only due to an emergencies was a tenant supposed to approach the landlord’s apartment. After all the calls he’d made with no answer, and considering that Aelin’s apartment had been broken into, Rowan didn’t care whether to not their slack landlord considered this an emergency. Rowan got to the door and pounded on it. Hard. There was no answer so he started again.

That’s when he noticed the old bit of tape on the door which made Rowan look at the floor. There was a piece of paper half slipped under the door. He bent down and pulled it out and tried not to scream when he read it.

The landlord had taken a vacation. The dates outlined meant he was gone for another two weeks.

Rowan slammed the paper against the apartment door, it just fluttered to the ground once he let it go with a mocking calmness.

He was anything but calm as Rowan stormed back up the stairs. 2 weeks. Another 2 weeks of sleeping on Aelin’s uncomfortable couch. He had his annual fitness test at the end of this week and he was going to struggle if his bed was a couch until then. But he’d promised Aelin he’d stay until the door was fixed. Maybe he’d start sleeping on the floor.

Rowan got to Aelin’s door and almost swore at it. Wanted to damn it to all hells with all the troubles it had caused. Instead he slammed it behind him, gripping the edge of it hard as he did so. As he let go felt a sharp stinging prick in his index finger.

He really did swear then and gripped his finger.

“Good morning to you too.”

Rowan spun and saw Aelin coming out of her bedroom, wearing a short silk robe of sky blue.

“Sorry,” Rowan mumbled. He let go of his finger, hissing a little at the pain. “I went to see the landlord. He’s on vacation for the next two weeks. He’s already been gone two, hence why I couldn’t get onto him.”

Aelin snorted. “How kind of him to let us all know.”

Rowan didn’t say anything, he was still fuming. And the stinging in his finger wasn’t helping. He inspected his finger and saw a large splinter imbedded in his finger. And it was deep.

“What did you do?” Aelin asked from the kitchen.

“Splinter,” Rowan said as he flopped onto the couch. Then he brought his finger to his mouth and was about to see if he could maybe get it out with his teeth when he heard a sharp command from the kitchen.

“No, don’t you even think about it,” Aelin then stomped over, her movements causing the robe she wore to flutter around, revealing the skin of her thigh that was barely hidden by the matching nightgown she wore beneath the robe. “Your mouth is full of bacteria that could lead to an infection.”

Then she had Rowan’s finger between her own, inspecting the splinter. Rowan looked up at her, his eyes catching on the way that her nightgown gaped a bit as she lent forward. He quickly adverted his eyes to Aelin’s face, a slight flush creeping to his over his own. Aelin didn’t seem to notice though, she just let go of his finger and left.

Rowan just looked at his finger as he heard Aelin rummaging around in the kitchen. Scowling at it, scowling at the situation. At the prospect of having to sleep here for the next two weeks until the landlord got back. Maybe he could figure something else out. Get one of Aelin’s friends to say and offer to pay for food or something.

Aelin sat down in front of him on the wooden coffee table a small tray in her hand. Then she was ripping open an alcohol wipe and wiping at a pair of tweezers. Then she held out her hand expectantly.

“You don’t need to that, I can do it,” Rowan murmured.

Aelin just reached out and grabbed his hand.

“If I do it it will be faster, and way more efficient,” Aelin said turning Rowan’s finger this way and that. “Much better that teeth. So primitive.”

Rowan scoffed at her quip but then hissed as Aelin squeezed his finger. “Don’t be a baby.”

Rowan went back to scowling, but didn’t make another sound.

Aelin brought the tweezers to his finger and with expert precision she grabbed the tip of the splinter and pulled it out. Blood welled but Aelin was there a moment later with another wipe that stung as she wiped away the blood. To prevent being called names again Rowan suppressed the pain and kept his face in the scowl. Then Aelin was putting a bandaid over the wound, pink and covered in ponies, which only darkened his expression.

Seeing his face Aelin casually explained, “I bought some for my class and they were two for one.”

Then to his surprise Aelin brought his finger to her lips and kissed the bandaid. Her lips were soft as they lightly brushed against his finger and at the feel of them Rowan’s scowl fell away, replaced by a smooth face of shock.

Aelin’s eyes were bright as they met his, “All better. Glowering doesn’t suit you much.” Then she was up and walking away, taking her tray of first aid with her. “I never thought a splinter could be so disastrous. I thought in your line of work you’d be more resilient.”

Rowan turned to face Aelin over the back of the couch as she put the things away. “In my defence I was more glowering about the landlord situation, not the splinter.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

It was meant as a joke but it brought Rowan’s mind back to his own sleeping situation, the couch he was currently sitting on was going to be his bed for another two weeks. Before he knew it he was scowling again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Must save fireman Whitethorn: “How long have you been standing there?” 😉 since they’re gonna be living together temporarily

Aelin fumbled with her keys a before she realised that she didn’t in fact need them. Even though she was annoyed by it a giggle burst from her lips as she then pulled out the key she needed for the padlock.

“I still can’t believe this was Mr Firefighter’s solution,” Lysandra said from beside her leaning against the wall to keep herself up, giggling as well. “What’s the plan now?”

Aelin shrugged and found the padlock key, but fumbled it and it fell to the ground with a metallic thunk. Aelin bent down to pick it up, almost toppling over as she did. Maybe she was a little more than tipsy she decided.

She and Lysandra had gone out to celebrate the end of the school week and my have drunk a little too much. The place they liked to go was just around the corner from Aelin’s apartment so they had walked home to wait for Aedion to pick Lysandra up.

When Aelin straightened, key in hand, she noticed that the padlock wasn’t even on the door. For a moment she thought back to the break in, her stomach dropping. But then she heard Rowan’s voice from inside as if he was talking on the phone. Not thinking anything more of it Aelin walked in, Lysandra a step behind her.

The sight that greeted them pulled them up short.

Rowan was dressed in nothing but a pair of basketball shorts, his naked back on display with muscles straining as he did push up after push up. His position in front of the door and the small size of the apartment effectively cut off the girl’s access to the rest of the apartment. Aelin stood there just watching, unable to look away. She’d known Rowan needed to keep fit for his job but this… this was ridiculous. He was built like an ancient god. Rowan hadn’t noticed their arrival as he continued to talk on the phone.

“I’m just asking them to move back a week,” Rowan said as he pushed himself up once more, earbuds in his ears so they couldn’t heat the other part of the conversation. “Why? Because I don’t want to lose my position when I don’t perform at my best.” There was a pause. “Fine, whatever.”

Rowan moved to his knees and tapped his phone a little too aggressively, then he yanked out the earbuds. That’s when he noticed he had company.

“Oh,” Rowan said, then grabbed his shirt. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Not long, at all,” Aelin said a bit too quietly.

“I was about to go to bed then needed to take a call and thought I’d get some exercise in. Sorry,” Rowan explained after he’d slipped his shirt over his head.

“You don’t need to apologise,” Aelin heard herself saying before she could stop herself. She hadn’t moved yet. She needed to move. “I think I need some water.”

Aelin grabbed Lysandra’s hand a dragged her to the kitchen, not bothering to see what Rowan’s next move was. Aelin pulled out two glasses and flicked the tap on.

Lysandra leaned over the bench, a utterly feline smile in her face, “A very nice roommate you’ve got there, Ae.”

Aelin put down the glass in front of her friend, maybe a little harder than she needed to.

“He’s not my roommate,” Aelin hissed back.

Lysandra just waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Regardless. Nice.”

Aelin rubbed at her face. She’d have to be blind not to realise how attractive Rowan Whitethorn was, and she’d seen the way he looked at her sometimes, especially when she wore her nightwear. She’d be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t doing it on purpose. Sure she would have worn those things anyway, but she got a thrill about having a very, _very_ attractive audience.

Lysandra’s phone buzzed and a message popped up.

“Aedion’s here,” Lysandra said. “Care to walk me to the door?”

“What? Why? It’s right there,” Aelin said.

“Because,” Lysandra whispered, “It looks like your roommate is a little upset and this way it will be much easier to start up… a conversation.”

Aelin rolled her eyes but linked her arm with Lysandra anyway and walked her to the door. Aelin opened the door ready for Lysandra to walk out.

“It was nice to meet you, Mr Firefighter, sir,” Lysandra called over her shoulder.

“Just get out,” Aelin gave her a shove and Lysandra just laughed.

Aelin closed the door behind her friend and slid the flimsy lock into place. Then she turned around and saw Rowan slouched on the couch, angrily glaring at the phone in his hand.

“Trouble at work?” Aelin asked as she pushed herself off the door, still a little unsteady on her feet.

Rowan looked up, then sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. We have our annual fitness test coming up and I’ve been trying to get them to move it back a week.”

“Why?” Aelin asked as she precariously perched on the arm of the couch.

A strange expression crossed over Rowan’s face, like he was deciding whether or not to answer her question.

“I’ve been a bit off since, well,” Rowan looked at the front door. “Since the door incident and I started sleeping on the couch.”

Oh.

“You can go home,” Aelin said. “Don’t stay if it costs you your job.”

Rowan shook his head. “No way, not after that guy broke in. I said I’d stay, and I’ll stay until I get the door fixed. It’s just poor timing.”

An idea popped into Aelin’s head, she was sure it was the alcohol talking but it made sense to her. She had a king sized bed in her room, and even though Rowan was very large, Aelin was small enough that they could both sleep in there without touching. At all.

“I’m on early shift tomorrow,” Rowan said as he locked his phone. “I should get some sleep.”

Aelin shook her head, her idea disappearing with Rowan’s obvious dismissal.

“Yep, see you tomorrow,” Aelin got up and her way to her bedroom.

Closing the door behind her she stripped off, put on her pyjamas and climbed into bed. It took her a while to fall asleep though, as she looked at the empty expanse of her bed a little bit of guilt sliding into her gut. She didn’t want Rowan to lose his job but he was being stubborn enough she knew he wouldn’t stop sleeping on her couch and would probably think sleeping in her bed was completely indecent. Then when she closed he eyes she saw Rowan’s half naked body, his muscles straining with his movements. She rubbed at her eyes willing the image away.

Her drunk mind was leading her down paths she shouldn’t be going down. But she didn’t know how to stop.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: For the firefighter au, Aelin notices Rowan's back is bothering him from sleeping on the couch and offers to let him sleep in the bed! 😉

Rowan was definitely miserable.

Aelin had noticed that his back had been progressively getting worse the longer he slept on her couch. She remember the conversation they’d had two nights ago about his fitness test coming up and she was feeling guiltier as the days went on. There was still a week and a half until the landlord got back and from Rowan’s foul mood it seemed like he hadn’t been able to move the date of the test. He’d been sullen each night when he trudged into he apartment, practically slamming the lock into place.

Tonight was no exception. He came through the door already dressed in his pyjamas, blanket and pillow in hand. Aelin watched from where she was eating a slice of chocolate cake at the kitchen counter. There was a hobble to his walk, just ever so slight, but Aelin picked up on it. She couldn’t help flinching as he continued his routine by slamming the door and sliding the lock into place.

“Hello sunshine,” Aelin called. Rowan didn’t answer just threw his bedding onto the couch. “Look at you, such a joy to have in my home.”

“Not now Aelin,” Rowan grumbled as he sat down.

Aelin wasn’t letting up. “I said you can go home Rowan.”

“Not happening,” Rowan bit out.

“If you lose your job just from being a stubborn –”

“I won’t lose my job!” Rowan said he stood and whirled to face Aelin. “I’ll just get demoted. I’m 2IC at the station so if I perform badly I’ll just lose that, not my job entirely. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine,” Aelin retorted back.

Rowan ran his hands through his hair, a habit Aelin noted he did when he was frustrated or nervous.

“What’s not fine is that I was an idiot who broke down your door and did a half-assed job of fixing it. What’s not fine is that my half-assed job left you in danger and someone broke into your house and you could have been hurt.”

Aelin was a little taken aback by not just his words but how distressed Rowan was while he spoke them. She hadn’t realised he had actually cared that much.

Aelin crossed her arms over her chest, “You saw that I could handle myself.”

“But you shouldn’t have had to,” Rowan sat down again and Aelin heard him audibly wince.

Aelin made the decision right then. She walked over to where Rowan sat and stood in front of him, hands on her hips.

“Alright, if you’re going to be a stubborn bastard here’s the deal. You sleep in my bed to save your precious body for your precious job.”

Rowan looked up her, surprise written all over his face. “And you sleep on the couch? No way.”

“I’m not sleeping on the couch,” Aelin said simply and couldn’t help the smirk that spread across her lips at the slight flush that crept over Rowan’s face.

“I… What?” He stammered.

“We’ll both be comfortable and refreshed for work. It’s a king sized bed, you won’t even have to touch me,” Aelin explained. “We’re both adults. I’m sure we can manage sleeping in the same bed without any trouble.”

Now Rowan rubbed at his face. Debating if he should do as she said.

“Look, you’ve got your blankets and pillow. I’ll sleep under mine, you put yours on top. Ta-da we’re not even under the same bedding, keeping our virtues intact,” Aelin waved a dismissive hand.

Rowan still didn’t say anything.

“Well, I’m going to bed. Feel free to join me.”

Aelin went to the kitchen and finished the last few bites of her cake before putting the plate in the sink. She didn’t even look at Rowan as she then went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. But she did look at him when on her way to her bedroom though. All she could see of Rowan was he feet propped up on the arm of the lounge as he lay down.

“Suit yourself,” Aelin said and went into her bedroom.

~

Rowan didn’t want to know how long he’d been lying there on the couch going over what Aelin had offered. It made sense. They both had jobs they needed to be their best for. And they were both adults, not hormone fuelled teenagers. There was no reasons for him not to.

With a sigh Rowan threw off his blankets and bundled them up, and then grabbed his pillow. Aelin had graciously left the door ajar and Rowan pushed the door open with his foot.

Aelin lay under only a sheet, her golden hair loose and catching the faint moonlight shining through the window. She wore a silky nightgown of midnight blue and the strap had slipped off her shoulder, making the neckline drop dangerously low. Rowan closed his eyes reminding himself that he was not a hormone fuelled teenage boy and no matter how alluring and beautiful Aelin was he could do this without complicating the situation with… feelings.

Maybe this was the one reason he shouldn’t do this. Bed sharing felt too intimate, too close. Just over a week ago the’d been ready to rip each other’s throats out. They’d come to to some sort of truce since the break in, but they still weren’t friends he supposed. More like unwilling allies. Maybe that was his protection in this situation. Their indifference.

Rowan bit the bullet. He pulled off the pillow from the left side of the bed and replaced it with his own. Then lying on top of Aelin’s bedding he arranged his blanket over him and laid back. This bed sharing, it was nothing. It was a means to an end. Rowan would be able to keep his position and once that was sorted he’d be back on the couch until the landlord got back. Holding onto that thought Rowan drifted into sleep.

~

Aelin woke up to a heavy weight draped across her waist. She blinked her eyes as she tried to figure out what the weight was. As she rolled over she startled at the sight of Rowan asleep beside her.

It was his arm across her waist.

She looked at him, his face looked softer, younger, in sleep. It made him look heartbreakingly handsome. Knowing he’d be mortified if Rowan woke up to find he’d cuddled up to her in his sleep Aelin slipped out of bed a smoothly as she could, letting him arm fall softly on the bed.

Aelin looked at him again and Rowan sighed heavily, as though he was subconsciously missing the contact of her body. A small smile worked its way onto Aelin’s lips. Maybe she could get used to waking up next to a handsome man, even if was just to take in his handsomeness while he slept. Aelin laughed at herself and decided to make breakfast before she turned into a full blown creep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hehehe I’m having fun with these: “Great, now the electricity is out.” Fireman Whitethorn pls

Rowan woke to soft bedding and a lingering scent of jasmine and lemon verbena. Laying on his stomach he inhaled it deep into his lungs and nestled further into the sheets.

Then he jerked his head up finally realising where he was.

He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Aelin wasn’t there to witness him enjoying the comforts of her bed a little too much. He couldn’t help it. This was the most comfortable bed he’d ever slept in. Added to that he hadn’t a decent night sleep in a while and Rowan had slept like a log.

Rowan rolled over and at rubbed his face, forcing himself to wake up that last little bit. Then he got out of bed.

He padded out to the kitchen where Aelin was moving about her small kitchen. Thankfully wearing a robe over her absurd nightgown.

When she saw him she gave him a small knowing smile, “Sleep well?”

Rowan refused to bite. “It’s better than your couch, I’ll give you that.”

“Whatever. That mattress is the most expensive thing in my apartment. I know you had the best sleep of your life.” She smiled again, “I don’t think you were aware of anything going on all night.”

Rowan sent her a questioning look but Aelin just turned around to pressing the lever on the toaster.

“Would you like some breakfast? Or so you have other plans this fine Sunday morning?”

“Yeah, sure. Thanks,” he said as he ran his fingers through his through his hair. He hadn’t stayed for breakfast before. Rowan always went back to his apartment, usually before Aelin had even got up, to shower and get some hot water on his aching muscles. Breakfasting together just seemed to cross one of those imaginary lines. But he’d slept in her bed, so why not breakfast as well?

Aelin looked as if she was about to say something else, from the glint in her eye it was most likely something to rile him up and Rowan questioned his decision to stay.

But then the the toaster popped.

And Aelin looked concerned. She went to pop it down, again and again, but it wouldn’t stick. She checked the power switch and turned it on and off a few times. Then she went to the light switch and flicked that a few times. Nothing happened.

“Great, now the electricity is out,” she huffed. “Well. It’s seems you don’t get the privilege of eating the only meal I can cook.”

“What? Toast?” Rowan asked.

Aelin scoffed. “No. That was just the appetiser. There’s all manner of delicious breakfast food in the fridge which I don’t want to open because who knows how long the electricity will be out.”

Aelin let out a heavy sigh and crossed her arms.

“Well considering the situation I might head out and get something. You’re welcome to join me.”

“No thanks,” Rowan’s mouth had blurted the words out before he even had time contemplate the offer properly.

Aelin shrugged. “Alright, guess I’ll see you tonight then,” Aelin said as she breezed past him to her bedroom.

The door clicked shut and the sound pushed Rowan to move, feeling a little awkward as he realised that Aelin was in fact changing in the room behind him. If he was being honest with himself he would have liked to have gone to breakfast with Aelin. They hadn’t ever really had a conversation as yet. More like quick and efficient arguments or questions.

Rowan closed the front door of the apartment behind him and made for his own. He was realising that maybe he’d like to know more about his obnoxious, immodest but bold neighbour. This breakfast had been his chance but he’d messed that up.

Maybe it was just his common sense that won this time. Maybe it was for good reason.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: At some point in the fireman au: “I always sleep best when you’re next to me.” 😉

Aelin watched her class packed up for the day. They had been pretty good today, well as good as 20 mostly eight year olds could be. The room was buzzing with energy as they all waited the 2 minutes until the bell. 

“Miss G, who’s our talker for Wednesday?” Harris asked from his desk near the front. 

“I can’t tell you, it will ruin the surprise,” Aelin explained with a smile. 

Truthfully she actually didn’t have anyone one lined up for the career week presentations. Each class would have someone from a different profession come in and present. Then the following week each class would set up their own presentation about the profession in the hall for the rest of the school to see. Two days out and Aelin still didn’t have a presenter. 

She had planned to ask Yrene but Lysandra has snapped her up first. She’d used Chaol last year so that wasn’t an option and just about everyone else was busy that day. If it came down to it Aelin would just do it. 

The bell rang and the kids were up and moving. She smiled and waved as they filed out then started to pack up her own desk. 

“I am ready to strangle Chloe and Sarah,” Lysandra said as she appeared in the doorway. “You’d think they’d wait at least until they were 13 before they started oozing attitude.” 

Aelin laughed. “Yeah. I don’t love teaching 11 year olds.”

“Well, someone has to,” Lysandra said as she sat on the edge of Aelin’s desk. “Who’d you get to present for job week?”

“No one yet. Seeming as you stole my presenter,” Aelin said as she slipped her laptop into her bag. 

“Whatever. You were just too slow,” Lysandra replied. 

“I practically gave you the idea.”

“How I remember the conversation going is “Yrene would be good” then I said “yeah” and then that was it. No dibs called,” Lysandra explained. 

Aelin snorted. “That’s a weak argument and you know it.” 

Lysandra just shrugged. Aelin flicked a pen lid at her. 

“I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you ask your temporary roommate?” Lysandra said as she flicked the pen lid right back. Aelin caught it. 

“I don’t know. It’s short notice and he’s been acting a bit weird since…” Aelin trailed off. She hadn’t meant to let that slip. 

Lysandra just looked as if she ha been handed a piece of her favourite cake. “Weird since what? Did you kiss him? Make out? Did you have sex with him?”Lysandra’s voice was rising higher and higher with each question and just as she asked the last one a small group of students walked past the open door. 

“Lys,” Aelin hissed as she swatted at Lysandra’s arm. “It no to all the above. But,” Aelin took in a deep breath and looked to the ceiling, “he is sleeping in my bed.”

“What?” The exclamation rang throughout the empty classroom. “You haven’t done A, B or C, but he’s sleeping in your bed?”

“He was going to lose his position at work. The couch was giving him a bad back and he refused to go home so I offered him the bed,” Aelin explained matter of factly.

“And where, pray tell, are you sleeping?”

Aelin shifted uncomfortably then mumbled almost inaudibly, “In the bed.” 

Lysandra stood and jabbed Aelin’s shoulder. “You haven’t told me this before now! You’re practically married.” Then she laughed. “But like, married for 20 years married. Because you’re sleeping in the same bed but there’s no sex.”

“First of all, ouch,” Aelin said and she rubbed where Lysandra and poked her. “Second of all… yeah basically.”

Lysandra cackled. 

“But like I said he’s been acting a bit weird since then so he probably won’t say yes.”

“Maybe it’s because he likes you. I’ve seen what you wear to bed. If I were him I’d like you a lot,” Lysandra said. 

Aelin shook her head. “No he’s just feeling guilty and has a caveman era need to protect.”

“Yeah okay, whatever you say,” Lysandra said as they started walking to the door. “Just wait until I tell Aedion.”

“Don’t. I don’t need his input on this,” Aelin said as she locked her classroom door. 

A dramatic sigh sounded from behind her. “Fine. You steal all my fun.”

~~~

Aelin sat up in bed reading by the light of the lamp on her bedside table. It was getting later than she usually stayed up but Rowan wasn’t here yet. She had a sneaking suspicion that he was waiting for her to be asleep before he came over, which he had in fact done last night. Hence the accusation of weirdness she’d explained to Lysandra.

She didn’t know what she had done, but she also could be reading way too much into it and nothing at all was wrong. It was after all just one night. Aelin started reading again when she heard the front door open and then the lock slide into place. Within a few moments Rowan appeared in her doorway, blanket and pillow in hand, with a look of surprise on his face. 

“Oh, I didn’t expect you to be up,” he said. 

“Hoping to sneak in while I was asleep?” Aelin asked as she shut her book. 

Rowan shrugged, “I didn’t want to disturb your routine.”

“You’re not disturbing me at all. In fact I’d say I always sleep best when you’re next to me,” Aelin accentuated her words with a pat on the bed and a sultry little smile. Which turned into a wicked grin as Rowan flushed. Tormenting him was becoming one of her new favourite pass times.

Rowan then pointedly ignored her as he approached the bed. Aelin removed her spare pillow and he laid down on top of Aelin’s bedding before pulling his own comforter blanket over him. 

Aelin then dropped the playful facade and steeled herself, readying for the disappointment.

“I actually have a favour to ask.”

She heard Rowan roll over to face her and Aelin looked at him, his hands tucked under his cheek. 

“Does it involve me having to vacate the apartment for an evening?”

It was Aelin’s turn flush at what Rowan implied. When did she become a prude?

“No. Lucky for it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a night away from my bed. There’s this careers week at school -”

“School?” Rowan asked.

“I’m a primary school teacher,” Aelin explained.

“I didn’t know that,” Rowan said.

Aelin just powered on. “So careers week. We get people from all different professions come in and give a presentation to a class. I’ve left it kind of late and it’s on Wednesday. I was wondering if there was any chance that you could come in and give a presentation to my class about being firefighter.”

Rowan’s brows furrowed as he thought about it. Aelin assumed he was he was working out the best way to refuse.

“You know what, never mind. It too short notice and -”

“I can probably do it. Wednesday right? I’ll have to talk to my Chief but I’ll most likely be able to do it. I might just have to remain on call.”

Aelin blinked in surprise. “Really? Because that would be great.”

“Yeah it should be fine,” Rowan said as he rolled to lay on his back.

Aelin smiled a little, “Well thanks.”

Then she turned her lap off and settled herself into bed, her back to Rowan. “Maybe discourage the breaking down the door thing though,” Aelin added.

Rowan chuckled softly behind her. The sound was like a gentle caress over Aelin’s skin making her shiver. Aelin promptly shut any other thoughts about that sound and the way it made her feel. It was increasingly obvious Rowan wasn’t interested so there was no reason for her to entertain that idea for one second. 

~~~~~

Rowan woke up to his phone buzzing and he quickly switched his alarm off, not wanting to wake up Aelin who was still asleep beside him.

  
As he got out of bed his eyes strayed to her. She was lying on her back, one arm draped above her head, her braided hair fuzzy and loose in places. When Aelin was asleep her face relaxed and she looked so peaceful and content. Definitely not like she was planning some way to provoke him, which seemed to be all the time. 

  
Not wanting it to get weird by staring and a sleeping woman he barely knew Rowan decided to leave and head back to his apartment to get ready for work. On his way out he remembered their conversation about the presentation for her class. Stopping by the kitchen bench to he wrote Aelin a message on a sticky note. As he did Rowan smiled a bit at the memory of how she had covered every inch of his door in them. In hindsight it was a little funny, but at the time he had been fuming.

  
_I’ve got to head to work but here’s my number. Text me yours and I’ll let you know how I go._

  
He added his number to the sticky note and left.

  
~~~~~

  
Rowan and his team were checking their gear when he asked his boss about helping Aelin out.

  
“Lorcan, can I have an hour or two out of the station tomorrow? I’ll remain on call and will be able to respond to any call outs, if that helps.”

  
“Why?” Lorcan asked checking the fittings on his helmet.

  
“It’s to help out,” Rowan went to say friend but he stumbled on the word. Were they friends? He wasn’t sure. “Someone who I owe a favour too.”

  
“Why?” Lorcan asked again.

  
“Why do I owe them a favour or why am I asking?”

  
“I’ll take both,” Lorcan said as he moved on to checking his fire fighting suit.

  
“She’s a neighbour and she works at the local primary school. They’re having a careers week type thing and she’s asked if I can talk to her class,” Rowan explained. Avoiding that looming question of exactly why he owed his neighbour a favour.

  
“Wait,” Fenrys piped in. “Is this the same neighbour whose door you busted down because you thought you smelled smoke?”

  
Rowan glared death at Fenrys, who was just gleefully smiling.

  
“You what?” Lorcan asked, a rare glimmer of amusement on his face.

  
“Fenrys. Did you have to?” Rowan said as he glared at his friend. Fenrys shrugged, still grinning. “It was after that big factory fire a few weeks ago. I came home, still high on the adrenaline, thought I smelled smoke… and broke her door.”

  
Lorcan laughed. So did his other coworkers.

  
“Yeah, yeah I know,” he said as he finished up on his gear check.

  
“Yeah do whatever,” Lorcan said as he finished up as well. “If we get a call you leave. That’s it.”

“Thanks.” Then Rowan turned to Fenrys. “How’s about we get some training in before Friday’s fitness test?”

Fenrys groaned knowing that Rowan was going to murder him 

~~~~~

  
Aelin was at the coffee machine in the staffroom waiting for her cup to fill. She slipped her hand into her pocket and felt a piece of paper crumple beneath her fingers. Confused Aelin pulled it out of her pocket.

  
She left out a soft ‘Oh’ as she realised what it was. It was Rowan’s number. She’d stuffed it into her pocket this morning on the way out the door.

The coffee machine finished its job and Aelin picked up her cup and sat at a nearby table. She smoothed out the sticky note and entered Rowan’s number into her phone. Then she composed her message.

_Hey. It’s your lovely neighbour. Will you me joining me at my workplace tomorrow?_

  
Aelin read it over and cringed. She deleted it all and tried again.

  
_Hi Rowan, it’s Aelin. Any word on tomorrow?_

  
Much better. He was doing her a favour and I told was a professional setting, she’d have plenty time later for riling comments. Aelin pressed send.

  
“Hey Aelin.”

  
“Hi Elide,” Aelin said at the small dark haired beauty. “How’s your day been?”

  
“Pretty hectic,” Elide said as she sat. I was meant to have a session off but it seems my better time is better spent running errands.”

  
Elide worked as a teachers aide and she moved from class to class. But some teachers sometimes used her like a secretary.

  
“Just come into my and sit in the corner. I don’t care,” Aelin said. Then her phone buzzed.

  
_All good for tomorrow. Don’t let the kids eat me alive. Please._

  
“What are you smiling at?” Elide asked.

  
“I just secured my presenter for tomorrow,” Aelin said. “I highly recommend you come to my class for it. You definitely won’t regret it.”

  
“Why?” Elide asked.

  
Aelin grinned, “You’ll have to wait and see.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: for the firefighter au: please let the kids ask Rowan if he's Aelin's boyfriend? 😂

Aelin was washing up her dishes from dinner when Rowan walked in in his usual sleeping attire. 

“Hi,” he said as he locked the door behind him. 

Aelin shook off her hands then wiped them on the apron she was wearing before pulling the ties at the back. 

“Hello,” Aelin said and slipped the apron over her head, revealing her own sleepwear. 

She couldn’t help but smile at the ways Rowan’s eyes widened a little as he took her in. It was one of her more demure ensembles, a camisole and culottes that hit her mid thigh, but it was a vibrant red the complimented her features perfectly. The deep V neckline didn’t do any harm either. 

Rowan just shook his head a little and made for the bedroom. Aelin followed him, feeling slightly awkward as Lysandra’s words from the other day replayed in her head. 

Instead of going into the room Aelin stopped at the door. 

“So tomorrow, can you come at 10? You only need to talk to the kids for like half an hour 40 minutes max. If that time doesn’t work I can rearrange things,” she said. 

Rowan set down his pillow and lay on the bed. 

“10 is fine. If we get a call out I’ll let you know though,” Rowan explained. 

“Sounds good,” Aelin said, still standing by the door. 

“Not coming to bed?” Rowan asked. 

“No,” Aelin instinctively said, still feeling awkward. She’d always been in bed first, this was new territory. “I’ve got some things to do for tomorrow.”

“Alright, goodnight then.” Rowan rolled over and that was that. 

Aelin walked over to the couch and grabbed her phone and aimlessly scrolled for about half an hour. As she had planned, Rowan was already asleep when she went to climb into bed beside him. Aelin sighed A week and a half, that was it. Then they’d be able to stop this damn awkwardness and she’d have her apartment and bed all to herself again.

~~~~~

Rowan pulled up to the school in navy pants and shirt uniform, it practically looked like he was wearing a jumpsuit. In the duffel bag in the backseat he had his actual firefighting gear to show the kids.

Aelin had told him this morning as they rushed past each other to sign in at the office and then they’d tell him where to go. He grabbed the bag and headed to the administration building. 

Coming through the doors before him there was what looked like a parent dropping off their child, then a woman with rich brown hair who was wearing a white coat. As she heard the door opened she turned her head and gave Rowan a kind smile, Rowan nodded as he lined up behind her. 

“Careers day?” She asked, her golden-brown eyes looking over his uniform. Rowan nodded. 

“Me too,” the woman pulled a hand from her coat pocket and held her hand out to him, it was then Rowan noticed her pregnant stomach. “Dr. Yrene Westfall.”Rowan took her hand and shook it. “Rowan Whitethorn. I work at the fire station.”

“I assumed,” she said, but not unkindly. 

“Westfall? Are you Captain Westfall’s wife?” He and the police captain had crossed paths multiple timed on call outs. 

“Yes I am,” she said with a bright smile. 

“I’ll have to remember to congratulate him next time I see him,” Rowan said. 

Dr. Westfall cocked her head. “About what?” 

Rowan felt his face burn. But then the doctor laughed. 

“I’m kidding. He’ll love that, he’s very excited.”

Rowan let out a nervous laugh. By this time the parent was done and Yrene moved up to the window. 

“Hello Elide. How are you? How’s your ankle doing?” 

Rowan peered over Yrene’s shoulder and saw a small dark haired woman on the other side of the window. 

“I’m good. Those exercises you gave me have really helped. How are you?” 

“Heartburn in killing me at the moment,” Yrene said. 

“You know where Lysandra’s classroom is?” Elide asked 

“Yep. I might see you later,” Yrene said as she stuck a visitors sticker on herself. “Nice to meet you Rowan,” she then threw over her shoulder as she walked away. 

Now Rowan stepped up to the window. 

“Hi, Rowan Whitethorn. I’m presenting to Aelin Galathynius’ class.”

Elide’s eyes sparked with something, but her face gave nothing else away.

“Here sign this, then I’ll take you to Aelin’s classroom,” Elide said as she slipped a piece of paper towards him and a visitors sticker. 

“If you tell me where it is I’m sure I can find it,” Rowan said.

“I’m on my way there anyway,” Elide said casually. 

Rowan just nodded as he signed the paper and stuck on his sticker. 

~~~~~

It was 5 to 10 and Aelin hadn’t heard from Rowan so she prepped her class for his arrival. They were seated on the mat in front of the chair she usually sat it, excited and eager to see who would be visiting them today. 

There was a knock and Aelin went to the door. Elide was there with Rowan towering behind her. Her brows were high as she gave Aelin a look and Aelin almost failed to stop her snort of laughter as Elide came into the classroom. 

“Class,” Aelin said and 20 little heads snapped to where she was, “this Firefighter Whitethorn. He works at the fire station.”

There were a few gasps and many hissed yeses, then just about all of them went a bit wide-eyed when they took in his size. Rowan, bless his heart, gave a tentative smile as he tried desperately to hide how nervous he was. 

“They can smell fear,” Aelin whispered. Then she went to the back of the room to where Elide sat on one of the desks and sat beside her. 

“He looks as if he’s stepped out of one of those borderline pornographic calendars you buy at the $2 store,” Elide whispered. 

Aelin just gave her a smile that suggested she was inclined to agree.

~~~~~

The presentation had gone fairly well. The kids were attentive and well behaved and practically hung on every word he said. Rowan had showed them his gear and passed the helmet around. Most of the kids had tried it on and Rowan had smiled as it dropped well past their eyes. Aelin had smiled too from where she sat at the back of the room, alone as the dark haired woman had left sometime during his presentation. 

“Alright, does anyone have any questions?” Rowan asked. 10 hands shot into the air. 

“Wait for Firefighter Whitethorn to point to you, he doesn’t know your names,” Aelin instructed. 

“But Miss G, you tell us it’s rude to point,” one of the kids said. 

Aelin didn’t miss a beat. “Right now is an exception. Which means it is allowed, but only by our guest.”

That seemed fair enough and the kids turned their attention back to him. There was a girl near the front who looked like she was about to burst so Rowan pointed to her. 

“What’s the scariest fire you’ve fought?” She asked, her words coming out so fast he almost missed them. 

Rowan thought for a moment. “Wildfires are probably the scariest to fight because they’re unpredictable,” many of the kids looked at him a bit confused. “They can be doing one thing then suddenly change. I fought one about a year ago that ended up surrounding me and my team. That was the scariest.”

The question having been answered more hands shot up. Rowan called on a freckled brown haired boy next. 

“How do you get your arms to be so thick? They look like tree branches. Is it for you job?” 

Rowan heard a snigger from the back of the room and Aelin was covering her mouth with her hand. 

“Well, we have to make sure we’re strong and healthy for our job. Everyday we have time set aside to do fitness, I just do a little more that I have to,” Rowan explained and the boy nodded, happy with the answer. 

Next Rowan called on another boy, who put his hand down a little shyly. 

“Are you Miss G’s boyfriend?”

Rowan felt his cheeks flush and he stammered at the unexpected question. At the same time there was spluttering and a choked off cough from where Aelin sat. She had been taking a drink from her water bottle. 

“Uh no, she’s not my girlfriend,” Rowan said hoping that would suffice the kid 

“Would you like her to be?” The boy pressed. 

There was a clap from the back of the room. 

“Okay. Firefighter Whitethorn has to get back to work,” Aelin said. “Say thank you.”

“Thank you,” the class chorused but there was one whined “But he didn’t answer my question.” 

“Benjamin, that’s enough,” Aelin said as she opened the door. It was now Rowan noticed the blush on her cheeks. He hid the smile about the fact something had finally seemed to get under Aelin’s skin. 

Rowan waved goodbye to the kids, many of whom waved back and he left the classroom. 

“Thanks for coming in,” Aelin said, standing in the doorway.

“Yeah, no problem,” Rowan said as he slung his bag over his shoulder. 

“Guess I’ll see you tonight then,” Aelin said stepping back into her classroom, door in one hand. 

Rowan nodded and smiled. Aelin smiled too, a small one, and the way her cheeks were still flushed it made her look quite pretty. Beautiful even. Then the door closed and Rowan was left by himself in the empty hallway, trying not to contemplate other ways he could get his neighbour to smile like that again. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "You look yummy" firefighter aU PLS *also* Person A is still awake when Person B comes stumbling through the front door after a drunken night out so Person A gives them a glass of water and helps them to bed

After the presentation Rowan barely saw Aelin. With the fitness test looming he had spent every spare moment preparing for. Now on the day of the test Rowan was up before the sun. 

At his apartment he showered and got ready. He felt too anxious to eat anything so he prepped a protein shake instead. He wanted to keep his position desperately. It offered a slightly higher salary than if he was just a standard run of the mill firefighter and he was saving up so he could get out of the decrepit building. 

Feeling as ready as he could be he headed down to his car.

~~~~~

Rowan was doing a final check of his gear when his phone buzzed in his pocket, lucky timing and he was about to put it in his bag. On the main screen there was a short text. 

_Good luck for today - Aelin_

_He_ smiled at the text but he had no time to reply. He chucked his phone in his bag and made his way outside. As Rowan and his team lined up he could feel the anxiety in the air. The city Fire Chief was overseeing it so Lorcan, as their Lieutenant, could be tested as well. 

“Gentlemen. If you’re ready,” the Fire Chief said.

They all nodded, then it was time.

~~~~~

“Cheers!”

  
Rowan’s arm was aching as he brought his beer to his lips. His whole team had gone all in and passed with flying colours, and Rowan had been able to keep his position. After weeks of preparing and a stressful day everyone was celebrating. 

“Next round on Lorcan!” Fenrys jeered. 

“No Moonbeam,” Lorcan grumbled. 

“Why? You get paid the most,” Fenrys whined. 

Lorcan said nothing so Fenrys turned his gaze to Rowan. 

“Yeah alright,” he said with a smile. 

Cheers once again sounded from the table and Rowan pushed out of his chair. He was ready to let loose tonight. 

~~~~~ 

It was late but Aelin was still up reading. It was mainly because she was absorbed in the story, but partly because Rowan wasn’t in yet and she wasn’t keen to go to sleep with the door unlocked. She contemplated texting him and saying that he should go back to his place tonight but Aelin couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. 

Her excuse that Rowan would just insist he stay anyway. 

Aelin checked the time on her phone again when she heard the front door open. Then there was a loud thud that made her jump. She flicked the blankets off and went to investigate. 

Aelin barely contained her laughter at what she saw. Rowan was leaning heavily on the door trying desperately to slide the lock into place.

  
“You right there?” Aelin asked. 

Rowan turned, much slower than she expected him to. She surmised Rowan was utterly smashed. 

“I’m just tryna get the lock on,” Rowan explained and pointed in the complete opposite direction of where the lock actually was. 

When Rowan was drunk his Doranelle accent was so much thicker and made something in Aelin’s chest flip. 

“How about I do that and you head to bed?” Rowan pushed off the door.  
He was a little unsteady on his feet so Aelin was carful as she passed him to avoid colliding with his solid mass. Aelin locked the door and was going to suggest that maybe it was best he sleep on the couch. But Rowan had already made it to her bedroom door. 

Aelin sighed and looked at the ceiling. She wasn’t keen on having a drunk man in her bed. But she supposed it was Rowan and he’d been a perfect gentleman except for that arm incident, which he technically wasn’t conscious for. So she went to the kitchen and grabbed him a glass of water and made her own way to the bedroom.

“Here, drink this,” Aelin said and then looked up and stopped short. 

So much for the perfect gentleman. Rowan had stripped off his and was about to start unbuttoning his jeans. The sight of him almost had the glass of water falling from Aelin’s hand. 

Rowan looked over then must of remembered who’s company he was in. “Um I don’t have pants,” he slurred. 

“Hold on. I think I might have something,” Aelin said as she put the glass on top of the dresser and rifled through her bottom draw. She found a pair of basketball shorts Aedion left behind at some point and she threw them onto the bed. She didn’t have any shirts. “That’s all I’ve got.”

Aelin then quickly left to room to let him change. She went to the kitchen and downed her own glass of water, suddenly feeling a bit warm despite her short nightgown. She heard Rowan flop onto the bed and decided it was safe enough to go back in. 

He’d settled under the covers. He hadn’t brought his bedding tonight so he was using hers. Aelin snorted. Sober Rowan was going to lose his mind.  
Aelin grabbed the glass of water and sat on her side of the bed before passing it to Rowan. 

“You look yummy” Rowan’s low voice said as he finished the water.

Aelin’s cheeks flushed and she let out a surprised laugh. “What?”

Aelin stilled as Rowan reached out and pinched the fabric near her hip.

“It looks shiny and smooth like a green toffee apples. I used to love green toffee apples.” He let go and flopped back on his pillow.

Aelin watched Rowan for a second, shocked at his candid display. Within about a minute his breathing evened out and he was asleep. Aelin climbed into bed, grinning. The ammunition she had on sober Rowan would keep her in a good mood for days, weeks even. And it would all start with breakfast.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: More Rowaelin firefighter au prompts: Rowan uses Aelin’s shower for some reason and Aelin overhears him singing in the shower and thinks that he has a lovely voice (and tells him that hehe)

When Aelin woke up she had a moment of panic when she couldn’t move. Then she realised why. 

Drunk Rowan had cuddled up to her while they slept. With him under her covers all barriers seemed to be removed and he had not only shifted over to her side of the bed but had also tangled his limbs with her held her against his chest. 

Aelin supposed she was not wholly innocent with her arm draped around his bare waist and her head on his chest. Aelin also supposed this didn’t feel too bad and may have laid there longer than she should have, relishing in the comfort of it. 

But Aelin had things to do. So as carefully as she could she extracted herself from Rowan’s embrace, grabbed some clothes and left the bedroom. 

~~~~~  
Rowan struggled to open his eyes. He already could feel the headache building behind his eyes. He’d overdone it last night and thank the gods he didn’t have to work today. He stretched out and froze, remembering who’s bed he was in and froze. Opening his eyes he looked around and saw he was alone and resumed his stitching. 

When Rowan rolled over he saw a glass of water and a couple of aspirin on the bedside table, which he quickly downed. He felt like death and he needed a shower desperately. He got out of bed and looked down and saw he was wearing clothes that weren’t his. Confused Rowan just left the bedroom.  
Aelin was nowhere to be found. 

Rowan considered the walk to his apartment and it just seemed a little too far at the moment. He couldn’t function properly without a shower. So with Aelin out he decided he might just use hers then he’d be a human being again.

~~~~~  
As Aelin entered her apartment she could hear the shower going. The space was so small it was hard to miss. She dropped her groceries on the kitchen bench and pulled out her prize find with a wicked grin. 

She was unpacking the rest of breakfast when she heard another sound. It started soft then got louder. 

_“I just wanna take my time_

_We could do this, baby, all night,‘Cause I want you bad_

_Yeah, I want you,”_

Aelin stopped what she was doing to listen. Rowan was singing in the shower, and he wasn’t holding back either. 

_“Slow, slow hands_

_Like sweat dripping down our dirty laundry_

_No chance_

_That I’m leaving here without you on me”_

Gods, he was good. The deep baritone of his voice was full and velvety but there was slight huskiness to it. 

_“I know_

_Yeah, I already know that there ain’t no stoppin’_

_Your plans and those_

_Slow hands_

_Fingertips puttin’ on a show_

_Got me now and I can’t say no_

_Wanna be with you all alone_

_Take me home, take me home”_

Aelin stopped. Rowan had started to sing with renewed fervour. And his voice combined with the lyrics he was singing and the fact he was naked in her shower right now… Aelin suddenly felt a little too warm as his words conjured up certain images.

_“Fingertips puttin’ on a show_

_Can’t you tell that I want you, baby, Yeah!Slow hands_

_Like sweat dripping down our dirty laundry_

_No, no chanceThat I’m leaving here without you on me_

_I, I know_

_Yeah, I already know that there ain’t no stoppin’_

_Slow hands_ ”

Rowan stopped singing and then turned the water off. The sudden silence had Aelin moving again, quickly getting breakfast on so it didn’t look like she’d been standing around listening to the naked man in the shower sing about sensually moving hands. 

~~~~~

After his shower Rowan felt like a person who was mostly alive. There was still a slight pounding in his head but it was bearable. Luckily, Aelin kept some spare towels under the basin on a shelf. 

He admired how well Aelin kept her apartment despite the less than desirable lodgings. But she had nice little touches here and there, knick knacks and decorations that made the place homey. Once he dried off he slipped on his borrowed pants and stepped out of the bathroom while drying his hair. 

He heard noises in the kitchen and stopped, pulling the towel from his head. 

“Oh,” Rowan said as he saw Aelin slicing something at the kitchen counter. She was dressed in a tank and leggings, her cheeks slightly flushed, he assumed maybe she’d gone for a run or something. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Aelin said with a smile that usually meant she was about to say something to provoke him. “Especially if it means I get my own personal concert. You have a very lovely voice.”

Rowan felt his cheek heat. “You heard?”

Aelin just nodded, grinning like a fiend. “I got a you a hangover breakfast if you’re interested.”

Aelin turned and put something in a pan that started sizzling. Bacon. Definitely bacon. Rowan debating the offer for a moment, whether he should stay or not. But then shrugged. Why not?

“Sure. Thanks,” Rowan started walking towards the kitchen. 

“You wanna put a shirt on, hot stuff?” Aelin quipped over her shoulder. 

Rowan’s face kept burn. He went to the bedroom picked up the tshirt he wore last night, it was a bit stale but it would have to do. When he came back out of the bedroom Aelin was still at the stove cracking eggs. Rowan sat on the stool at the bench. 

Aelin slid a spatula under the eggs to stop them from sticking. “It wasn’t that I minded. I was just being considerate of your modesty.”

Rowan huffed a laugh, “Thanks.”

The toaster popped and Aelin places the slices before she turned around to face him, eyes bright. “You’re welcome.”

Rowan stiffened. She was planning something. He knew it. Exactly what, he didn’t know. 

Aelin went about getting the rest of breakfast and Rowan just waited for the axe to fall. But Aelin just got out what they needed for bacon and egg sandwiches. When she was done there was toast, eggs, bacon, cheese, a few relishes and mushrooms set out on the bench. They made their sandwiches, working casually around each other as the got what they wanted from various plates. Aelin even came to sit beside him once she’d made hers. 

“This is great, thanks,” Rowan said after he’d taken a few bites. 

“Breakfast food I can do. My waffles are the best but not as satisfying as bacon and eggs after a night out,” Aelin explained. “Why were wasted last night anyway?”

Rowan finished his mouthful. “We had our fitness test yesterday. We all passed by miles, and I keep my 2 IC position.” 

“That’s great!” Aelin said. “You know I think that calls for dessert.” 

Aelin got up off her stool and went into the fridge and placed two green toffee apples in front of Rowan. He looked at them confused. 

“I used to love green toffee apples how did you -“

 _Oh. Oh holy rutting gods._

Aelin was grinning like a cat who had trapped the mouse in her elaborate plan. Rowan’s face felt like it was on fire. 

_You look yummy_ he’d slurred last night in his drunken state. 

Oh gods. 

“Um…” Rowan rubbed at his face.

Aelin hadn’t stopped smiling. 

“Would you know what else Drunk Rowan did?”

Rowan didn’t. He really didn’t. “No thanks,” he mumbled. 

Aelin unwrapped her toffee apple and licked it. “Mmm, yummy.”

Rowan put his head in his hands and Aelin cackled. Then she patted him on the head. 

“Alright. Alright. I’m done. Go home Sober Rowan. I’ll see you tonight.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: AELIN HAS NIGHTMARES AND ROWAN WAKES HER UP FROM THEM FIREFIGHTER AU

Throughout the day things had been slowly coming back to Rowan. Things Drunk Rowan had done. Stumbling into Aelin’s apartment, taking his clothes off for bed but having no clothes to actually put on, waking up in the night and seeing her so peaceful beside him and just needing to hold her. 

Seems Drunk Rowan had no inhibitions. He didn’t know how he was supposed to face Aelin tonight, especially after this morning. He would freely admit her little game had been funny and well played. He smiled now just thinking about it.  
But as he grabbed his blanket and pillow Rowan decided it was time to go back to the couch. 

Aelin was on the said couch when he walked into the apartment and she smirked at him but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to.

“So now that I’ve done my fitness test I’ll sleep on the couch again,” Rowan said by ways of greeting. 

“You still have the same job though. I don’t mind,” Aelin said. “Just maybe let me know before you plan to take your clothes off so I can join you.”

Rowan’s face flushed as Aelin stood and gave him a exaggerated wink. She was in the toffee green nightgown again, just to add another nail to his coffin. 

“You’re too easy,” Aelin teased with what seemed like endless mirth on her face. “But suit yourself.” 

Aelin sashayed away and Rowan couldn’t help but watch. She caught his eye as she turned to close. The look on Aelin’s face told him that she knew it. 

~~~~~ 

It was still dark when Rowan woke up and checking his phone he’d only been asleep for about 2 hours. He shifted trying to get comfortable again, his back already aching, and assumed that’s why he’d woken up. 

But then he heard a noise. A soft whimpering. Then crying. 

Rowan immediately sat up. The sound was coming from Aelin’s room. He didn’t know what to do, if Aelin was crying she surely wouldn’t want him to intrude. But what if she was crying in her sleep?

Rowan got up and quietly made his way to the bedroom. He knocked softly. 

“Aelin?” No answer, so he said a little louder, “Are you alright?”

A pained cry was his answer. 

Rowan went in and saw Aelin tangled in her sheet, her face anguished as tears ran down her cheeks. 

Rowan approached the bed. “Aelin.”

She didn’t wake, just let out a broken sob. 

So Rowan sat on the edge of the bed and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

“Aelin you’re dreaming,” Rowan said as he shook her lightly. 

That was enough to wake her, and she started awake with a gasp. It took a moment for her to adjust to the waking world as her eyes searched for something. 

“Sam,” she cried so softly Rowan almost didn’t hear it. 

When Aelin looked at him again he could see the embarrassment in her face. Rowan looked away. For a few moments neither of then said anything. 

“Thank you,” Aelin finally said, “for waking me up.”

“No problem.”

Rowan went to get up but a delicate hand rested on his arm. He looked at who it belonged to. 

“Will you stay? Please? At least until I fall asleep again, then you can leave.”

There was still a deep sorrow in Aelin’s eyes, sorrow long with a silent plea. So Rowan nodded. 

He stood and climbed into the bed beside her, maintaining a good distance between them. 

“I won’t bite. At least not tonight, I don’t think I have anything left,” Aelin murmured quietly. 

Rowan shuffled over closer, close enough that he could feel the heat from Aelin’s body. Then Aelin inched over closer still and rested her head on the edge of his shoulder. 

“Do you mind?” Aelin asked, her voice was thick with emotion as she glanced up at him. 

Rowan shook his head and shifted his arm so it draped around her and Aelin made herself more comfortable. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Rowan asked. He felt Aelin shake her head. 

He wouldn’t push, he’d allow Aelin her privacy with this. They were silent for a long while. Aelin’s breathing shuddered every once and a while and Rowan could feel a wet patch on his shirt from where her tears fell. 

“Could you…”

“What?” Rowan asked softly when Aelin didn’t continue. 

“Could you sing?” She whispered. 

Rowan stiffened and he felt her do so as well. She went to move away but Rowan stopped her with the arm draped around her. 

“Sorry, you don’t have to,” Aelin said into his shoulder. 

“No it’s fine. I just… I don’t think I’ve been asked to before,” Rowan said. 

“Really?” Aelin looked up at him and Rowan nodded. 

“Do you have any requests?” 

“No. You decide,” Aelin said quietly. 

Rowan thought for a few moments then took in a deep breath. 

_“So shake the cold from your toes_

_And let the east coast walk you home_

_So shake the cold from your heart_

_If at all, and let it fall‘cause it takes a lot to make a heart a home to love_

_And it takes a lot to love your own_

_But I, well I didn’t even get your name when you walked on by”_

Aelin’s breathing started to even out as she listened to his voice. 

_“But I held your eyes so you held mine_

_Hoping you would stop so I could ask you these, simple things_

_Like – well, do you love the ocean, and well, could you love the ocean with me?”_

Rowan felt Aelin relax beside him, her body weighing down as her muscles loosened. 

_“‘Cause I’ll be yours love, ‘cause I’ll be yours_

_Because I’ll be yours_

_And these are the simple things,_

_and I want you, love love_

_‘cause these are the simple things.”_

Rowan was sure Aelin was asleep but he kept singing just to be sure.  
  
 _“Mmm yours love, ‘cause I’ll be_

_yours, well I’ll be yours love_

_Know that I will be yours_

_These are the simple things_

_I want you, love, love_

_Because these are the simple things_

_My love”_

Rowan’s voice tapered out to a whisper as he sang the last words, Aelin fast asleep beside him. He looked down to where she rested on his shoulder, her fist resting near his heart. The deep sadness he’d seen on her face was gone and her face was peaceful instead. Before Rowan realised what he was doing he was tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. His hand from as she stirred, but after a soft sigh Aelin just settled closer against him. 

Something stirred in Rowan’s chest. He ignored it. And hard. There was only a week left before the landlord got back. Rowan had a feeling it might turn into the longest week of his life.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Yeah, that’s funny. For a second there I thought that you actually cared.” for the firefighter au!!!

Aelin woke up with her head resting on something warm and solid. Her eyes felt gritty and she felt like she wanted to sleep for hours more. When she had nightmares about Sam she always felt like this.

Looking up, Aelin expected to see Rowan still fast asleep. Instead he was scrolling through his phone, his other arm draped around her still. He must have seen her look at him because he put down his phone and looked at her.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Hi,” Aelin said back. “I’m surprised you’re still here.”

Indeed, neither of them had moved yet. But Rowan shrugged.

“It’s a bit chilly, has been most of the night. Thought I might stay here and leech your warmth,” he said.

Aelin let out a short breathy laugh. “Yeah that’s funny. For a second I thought that you actually cared or something.”

“Nope definitely stayed purely out of comfort,” Rowan said.

Aelin pinched his side, he pinched hers right back.

“That’s a bit playful. You drunk again?”

Aelin yelped as Rowan jerked his shoulder and she went rolling off him. She landed in her stomach and looked over at Rowan. He was smiling, a soft smile that him look younger.

Aelin couldn’t help but smile back. But then her smile faded as memories of the previous night flooded her mind. As her face faltered Aelin saw the question in Rowan’s eyes.

“I can’t,” Aelin said quietly.

“I understand,” Rowan said quietly then reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Then Rowan was gone.

~~~~~

Aelin didn’t leave the apartment at all. She spent the day on the couch in leggings and a soft jumper not doing much of anything. The TV played in the background but Aelin barely registered it. There was a great sinking hole in her chest that wouldn’t go away.

A few nights ago when she’d said to Rowan that she slept better with him beside her she hadn’t been lying. She was joking with him, yes. But it wasn’t a lie. His presence had chased away her nightmares and her restless nights. It seemed in that one night absence they returned with a vengeance.

There was a knock on the door an Aelin startled. She checked her phone, it was already 6 o’clock. She wasn’t expecting anyone so she rose from the couch to see who it was.

She didn’t expect to see Rowan Whitethorn on the other side of the door, a bag of takeaway in his hand.

~~~~~

Aelin looked miserable. There were dark circles under her eyes and her hair wasn’t done, and her face wore an expression of deep sadness, the kind that left a heart aching.

“I thought maybe you’d like something to eat. Chinese alright?” Rowan asked.

Aelin cocked her head to the side ever so slightly, like she was trying to puzzle something out.

“Chinese sounds great,” Aelin said and she moved to let him by.

Rowan took the food to the kitchen, the only places to eat were the kitchen bench or around the small table in front of the TV. Aelin followed him and pulled out plates and cutlery while he started pulling out the containers of food. 

“I didn’t know what you liked so I got a few things,” Rowan said pulling the lids off the containers, filling the room with various delicious aromas.

“Thank you. I’m actually starving, I think I’ve only eaten a couple of slices of bread today,” Aelin said and she spooned some rice onto her plate, then moved onto the honey chicken. 

Rowan glanced at her as he started to load up his own plate. She didn’t say it to make him feel sorry for her, it was just a fact, he could tell by the tone in her voice she wasn’t looking for sympathy. 

That was fine with Rowan, he’d give her company instead.

~~~~~

Aelin ate way more than she expected to. 

If Rowan hadn’t turned up with dinner she probably would have just made some toast and maybe an apple. Aelin was even more grateful for his company. They ended up eating in front of the TV. He didn’t ask the looming question, he just asked her about work, the kids she taught, where she went to school. All easy topics she didn’t have to think about. Once dinner was done they watched some TV, sitting in companionable silence. Before she knew it a few hours had passed and she was yawning.

“I’m going to go to bed,” Aelin announced.

“Alright, I’ll go get my stuff then come back over.”

Rowan got up and left, and Aelin went to change for bed. Tonight she just slipped on old oversized tshirt and shorts to sleep in and slipped beneath her blankets. It wasn’t long before she heard Rowan come back into the apartment.

Aelin was laying on her stomach and watched as Rowan lay down on top of her cover and once again threw his blanket over him. They way he moved, the way he’d been acting, it was like he was treading on egg shells.

“I don’t want your pity,” Aelin said quietly.

Rowan turned his head to look at her. “I’m not pitying you.”

“Then stop acting like this,” Aelin said a little harder than she meant to. 

But Rowan didn’t bite back like she expected him to. He just said, “It’s just being considerate Aelin. I can tell you’re hurting, I’m not going to push you to tell me why, but I am going to be nice to you.”

Aelin felt tears starting to well in her eyes. “Don’t be nice to me.”

Rowan just chuckled, not unkindly, and turned off the bedside lamp next to him. “Goodnight, Aelin.”

Aelin didn’t say anything back, she just lay there is the dark. She didn’t know what made her say it but she whispered, “His name was Sam. We had known each other for years, hated each other for most of them, then somewhere along the way we changed. He was my first love. We were on our way to dinner, Sam was driving and a drunk driver ran a red light. I was awake for a little bit, I saw him, he was a mess, then I lost consciousness. The accident was so bad I was out for days afterwards. When I woke up, my mother told me,” Aelin swallowed hard against the tightness building in her throat. Rowan reached for the hand that lay beside her and holding it in his, laid it over his heart. Aelin could feel his heart beating, the steady rhythm steadying her. “My mother told me he had… They did everything they could, the surgeons. But Sam was gone. In his jacket pocket they found a ring.”

Aelin felt Rowan suck in a sharp breath.

“I’m sorry,” Rowan whispered. 

Aelin couldn’t say anything more, she was spent. So instead she just closed her eyes and willed sleep to take her. When it eventually did her sleep was thankfully dreamless.

When Aelin woke up hours later Rowan still help her hand right over his heart.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I think I'm in trouble.” - Rowan realizing his feelings (or vice versa) in the firefighter au

Monday morning came and Rowan couldn’t decide if it was a good thing or not. When he woke up to his alarm going off he was a little shocked to find that he’d held Aelin’s hand to his chest the whole night.

When he had come into her apartment last night he hadn’t even contemplated the couch, he’d walked right past it as if it wasn’t even an option. Rowan knew Aelin needed the company, and she didn’t protest when he laid down beside her.

Then she’d told him about Sam.

Rowan looked over to where Aelin slept, the heartbreak gone from her beautiful face. For her to dream about it, for it to still hurt so much, Sam must have meant a great deal to her. And maybe Rowan had been too quick to judge her. There was more to her than being obnoxious and rude.

Aelin stirred and stretched out her arm that lay across the bed, Rowan letting go of her hand as her fingers flexed.

“Would you mind changing your alarm noise, that one is really irritating,” Aelin said and tucked her hand beneath her pillow.

“It’s on silent. It just vibrates.” Rowan said.

“So? It still makes noise,” Aelin said. “I’d rather be woken up by a song or something. Not like I left my vibrater on in my bottom drawer.”

Rowan felt his cheeks flush. “Gods, Aelin.”

“Just wanted to stop this situation from getting more awkward than it already was,” Aelin said with a feline smile.

Rowan stared at the ceiling and shook his head. “You’re a menace.”

“I’m guessing it worked then? Got you to think about something else.”

She was baiting him. He knew it. It was like she had been born with an unwavering irreverence.

“If you had just waited, I had an idea I was going to run by you which would have diffused any awkwardness,” Rowan said, still not looking over at Aelin.

“Does it involve -“ Aelin started but Rowan was quick to cut her off.

“Don’t finish that sentence. I’m begging you.” Aelin just laughed, although cackled might have been a better description. Then Rowan said, “We do these days, down at the fire station, where school groups come in and we show them around and go through some training drills and stuff. I was wondering if you’d be interested in bringing your class down.”

“Oh yeah, that would be great,” Aelin said. “That would actually be awesome. Thanks.”

Rowan turned to looked at her now. She was still lying on her stomach, a small smile played on her lips.

“When suits you?” He asked.

“Um, I could probably get it sorted for Friday if that’s alright?” She said.

“I’ll talk to my boss. See what I can do,” Rowan said as he finally got out of the bed and Aelin nodded.

~~~~~

Lorcan stood at the front of the room going over the run down of the day, announcements, etc. Rowan tried to focus on what Lorcan was saying but he found his mind wandering, over and over, to a certain neighbour of his.

The way she laughed, how her eyes lit up when she was about to say something that would rile him in someway, how she looked in those ridiculous nightgowns. Although the more often he saw her in them the less ridiculous they seemed. They were in fact…

Rowan’s thoughts were cut off a jarring nudge to his arm.

“Where are you at?” Vaughn whispered beside him.

Rowan looked around, not wanting to admit to anything. Fenrys was across the table looking at him, brows high and mouth tight, itching to say something.

“If you’re done day dreaming Whitethorn, say what you wanted to so we can get to work,” Lorcan said from the front of the room.

_Shit._

Everyone was waiting for him.

“Ah, how would we feel about having a school group in? As like a follow up to the presentation I gave?”

“So this is for the the neighbour you owed a favour to, right?” Fenrys said. He looked like he was ready to jump out of his skin from excitement.

Rowan didn’t want to answer but he did anyway, “Yes.”

Fenrys practically jumped in his chair and clapped once before folding his arms across his chest, his face set in a taunting grin.

Lorcan muttered something under his breath then said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Fine. When?”

“Friday?” Rowan asked, pointedly ignoring everyone except Lorcan.

“Done. It will be good for us to connect with the community. I assume you’ll sort it out,” Lorcan said noting it down on his clipboard.

“Yes sir,” Rowan replied.

“Alright, does anyone have anything else?” Lorcan didn’t wait for an answer. “Great. Heads up, starting next week we’re swapping to night shift. Get to work.”

Rowan kept ignoring everyone, but he didn’t have a choice when Fenrys slammed into him and threw an arm around his shoulder.

“What is going on with you?” Fenrys asked.

Rowan sighed. “I think I’m in trouble.”

Fenrys let out a whooping laugh, squeezing and shaking Rowan where they stood. Rowan pushed him off, Fenrys still laughing almost hysterically.

Rowan was most definitely in trouble. He was in such deep, unending shit.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “How do you feel about killing spiders?” “Where is it?”

“And then I said ‘I’d rather be woken up by a song. Not like I left my vibrater on in my drawer.’”

Aelin joined in as Elide and Lysandra laughed at the recount of her morning.

“I didn’t know you had one,” Lysandra said once she’d calmed down enough to speak.

“I don’t. But I’m thinking of buying one just to set it off. You know like a remote control one, just for maximum effect,” Aelin said as she took a sip from her coffee mug. Elide laughed so suddenly she snorted. “But anyway, if he can he’s going to organise an excursion to the fire station, that’s where I was going with my story.”

Aelin’s phone pinged and she looked down and smiled.

“And he’s done it!” Aelin exclaimed. “Hey Elide, want to come to the fire station with me on Friday? What about you Lys?”

“I can’t. I’ve scheduled a test for that day, and I didn’t think my preteens would appreciate hanging out with a bunch of 8 year olds,” Lysandra said with a sigh.

“I’m definitely coming,” Elide said. “If Rowan’s fellow firefighters are anything like him I’m sure I’ll enjoy myself immensely.”

“Good. Well,” Aelin said as she stood. “I must be off. I’ve got to see the boss and then get some paper work started.”

~~~~~

The paperwork for the excursion was done and the notes had gone out to the kids. Aelin had to shuffle around her on class relief hours to do it, but it was done. Hopefully her students would be quick handing the notes back.

Unlocking the padlock on her door Aelin smiled a bit at her handy work. She was on her way to the kitchen when she saw that she had an uninvited guest.

Aelin let out a yelp of surprise, mixed in with a little bit of fear and froze. There, on her floor in the middle of her apartment, was the a huge brown spider. Big enough that looking at it for too long was making her feel sick.

She glanced around to find something to trap it. Luckily this morning she’d left her bowl on the coffee table after breakfast. Aelin picked it up and held it upside down, the final dregs of milk dripping onto the floor. She approached the spider, slowly carefully. It twitched one of his hairy legs and that had Aelin squealing and jumping back a few feet.

“I hate you. I hate you. I hate you I hate you,” Aelin hissed the words over and over and she approached the spider again. She got close but couldn’t bring herself to make the last move.

“Mmm Nope. Not -“ Aelin let out another squealing noise as the spider came right for her and she jumped on the couch.

But now she had a problem. She was stuck on the couch, herded there by an angry spider. She ran through her options and only one seemed to have a decent chance of working out. Aelin grabbed her phone, which luckily was still in her pocket, and checked the time. Rowan would probably be home by now.

~~~~~

Rowan was climbing the stairs contemplating his complicated am confusing existence when his phone started ringing.

“Hello,” he said, he hadn’t bothered to check the caller.

“How do you feel about killing spiders?”

Rowan stopped mid-step. It was Aelin, the reason for his miserable contemplation. With the discovery of his… feelings, he didn’t know what to do. But he tried not to think about that as he asked, “What?”

“How do you feel about killing spiders?” Then Aelin made a noise he didn’t even know she could make, a squeal of fear.

Rowan laughed. “Where is it?”

“In my apartment, obviously,” Aelin said.

“I’m on my way,” Rowan answered and hung up.

It wasn’t long before Rowan reached Aelin’s door and he didn’t bother to knock before going inside. The sight before him had his face splitting into a grin. Aelin was standing on the couch eyes fixed on a decent sized spider on the ground.

“You realise you’re probably a thousand times bigger than that spider, right?” Rowan said.

“Don’t mock me right now,” Aelin said. “You’ve got a job, use your giant boot and squish it.”

Rowan held in his laughter, only just. “Give me that bowl.”

Aelin passed him the bowl she was holding and Rowan calmly approached the spider and trapped it underneath. Then from his bag he pulled out an old magazine. Crouching down he slid the magazine under the bowl until the spider was securely trapped between the two.

“What are you doing?” Aelin asked, still perched on the couch.

“I’m going to take him outside,” Rowan said as he picked up both the magazine and bowl. Aelin looked at him like he was crazy. He ignored her and walked all the way down the stairs, released the spider onto a bush, then walked all the way back up.

Aelin was off the couch when Rowan walked back into the apartment and in the kitchen.

“10 years of kick boxing and you can’t deal with a little spider?” Rowan quipped.

Aelin eyes snapped to him. “Hey. We’ve all got our weaknesses. Yours happens to be racy night wear.”

Rowan let out a surprised laugh.

“Wow, a laugh instead of a blush. I must be losing my touch,” Aelin taunted. “Maybe I need to up my game.”

“Goodbye, Aelin. Enjoy your spider-less apartment,” Rowan said as he grabbed his bag.

“Wait,” Aelin said and Rowan turned around to see her grinning at him. This wasn’t going to be good. “Is there a specific colour you’d like me to wear? If I’m going continue to scandalise you, I should at least do it in something you like.”

Rowan shook his head as she laughed - a bright, musical sound. He was about to walk out the door, defeated, when he decided that he’d play into her game just for a change. “Gold. Not yellow. Real metallic gold.”

Aelin straightened. Surprise and delight shining in her eyes.

“You’re out of luck,” she said. “I would never own anything so ostentatious.”

Rowan closed the door behind him before Aelin could see his smile.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: From a diff list: “Is that my shirt?” Fireman au please :)

Monday night’s sleepover passed without much fuss, except for Aelin insisting that he change his alarm. Rowan did but somehow managed to turn it off so they were both running running late and were both rushing past each other in the morning and barely spoke.

Now Rowan was almost at his apartment, ready for a shower and to devise a game for not falling for his neighbour. Well, falling for her more than he already had.

Rowan dropped his things by his couch and went straight for the bathroom. They had had a few call out today and he’s worked up a sweat. He stripped off his work uniform and went to turn on the shower. As Rowan gripped the tap the whole thing fell off and he swore. It had been loose for a while and he kept forgetting to repair it. He tried to now but one of the parts had completely broken, practically disintegrated. Rowan groaned. He needed that shower.

There was another option, although it was definitely contradictory to his planning, but he was desperate. And smelled bad enough to be embarrassing.

Rowan pulled his uniform back on them went to his room and grabbed random pieces of clothing and walked down the hall.

~~~~~

Aelin say along to the music playing on her phone as she prepped dinner.

“ _Fingertips putting on a show,_

_Got me now and I can’t say no_

_Wanna be with you all alone_

_Take me home, take me home”_

A knock at the door had her pausing the music but still bopping a little as she walked to answer it.

“Oh, hey,” Aelin said when she saw it was Rowan. “It’s a bit early for bed, don’t you think?”

“My showers broken. Can I use yours? We had a few call outs today and I still feel gross,” Rowan said rubbing at his neck.

“Of course, go ahead,” Aelin moved out of the doorway and headed back to the kitchen. “You can stay for dinner if you want. I’m making spaghetti, mostly from a jar so you should be safe.”

“Sounds good,” Rowan said. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Aelin sang out. “I’m expecting singing though. As payment.”

Aelin smiled as Rowan laughed as he closed the bathroom door.

~~~~~

Rowan had stayed for dinner and then some. They watched a renovation show and laughed at the contestants, insisting they could do better. Aelin liked this new dynamics, she would probably go as far to say they were friends now.

As another episode wound up Aelin stretched out.

“I think I’ll shower then go to bed,” she announced.

“Okay, I might just go get my stuff then,” was all Rowan said before Aelin slipped into the bathroom.

Aelin couldn’t be bothered to wash her hair so she slipped in her shower cap before stepping into the shower. It was stepping out she ran into a problem.

Naked and dripping onto the mat Aelin realised that she didn’t have a towel or clean clothes to put on. Rowan had used her last towel and her other ones were in her room. Aelin didn’t know where Rowan was so wasn’t about to risk a streak through her house. She eyed her clothes on the floor, she’d have to put those on. Aelin let out a frustrated sound, those shorts and tshirt would be a pain not to only get on her wet body but off as well once they started soaking the moisture up. Then she saw something else. Aelin picked up and it was a large grey tshirt, maybe one of Rowan’s he’d accidentally left in her bathroom. If Aelin put this on it would fit more like a dress than anything else and much easier to get off once she reached her bedroom. Without another thought about it Aelin pulled off her shower cap and slipped the soft grey tshirt over her head.

~~~~~

Rowan needed to get out of that apartment while Aelin showered. It was a thread of thought that he refused to entertain, one knot of thought leading to another and another, each one more indecent than the last. Rowan definitely took his time in his own apartment getting his blanket and pillow. When he was sure it had been long enough and Aelin would be done Rowan headed back to the apartment.

Rowan walked through the door and stopped short at what he saw.

“Is that my shirt?”

Aelin had frozen too when she saw him step into the apartment, surprised as he was. And…

_Gods. Holy rutting gods._

She wore his grey tshirt he left in the bathroom by accident when he’d grabbed more than one shirt in his frustration over his shower, oversized and loose but it barely brushed the top of her thighs. Aelin pulled the hem down in an effort to make it longer, drawing his attention to her long legs. The sight of Aelin in his shirt had his blood heating in a way completely different to silly nightgowns. It had Rowan adverting his eyes to the ceiling.

“Yeah, you used my last towel it seemed. Please excuse me,” Aelin said with a knowing smile and then she shut herself in her room.

Rowan picked up his pillow and used it to muffle his frustrated groan.

Only a few more days. He only had to survive a few more days. Then surely once he was out of these close quarters he’d be able to think clearer. Aelin was intoxicating and Rowan was close to taking that leap and becoming completly drunk on her. And that was definitely not part of his plan.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one doesn’t have a prompt. I couldn’t find one that fitted in between what happened last to get me where I needed to go for the next one. But oh boy… my plans…

Aelin grinned as she pressed her back against her door. At the sight of her in his shirt Rowan had looked ready to combust. She didn’t quite understand the male fascination when it came to women wearing their clothes but Aelin could definitely tell it was _a thing_ for Rowan. If it hadn’t been wet from her dash from the shower to here she would have considered wearing it to bed, just to see how he would react.

But unfortunately it was indeed wet and she was tired, so she pulled it off and slipped on a nightgown instead.

Messing with Rowan was currently one of her greatest joys and favourite pastimes. It was so easy and his reactions so good. How could she not? Her next big plan has taken some planning and she hoped what she needed was delivered before the weekend.

The landlord was due back almost any day now and she wasn’t quite finished with Rowan. Not quite just yet.

Aelin went to her bedroom door and opened it.

“I’m decent,” she called out into the lounge room and she heard Rowan get up from wherever he was.

Aelin stood in front of her dresser and pulled her hair out of the messy bun a top her head, fingers shaking out her long hair. She had herself angled so that the first thing Rowan would see when he walked in was the dangerously low cut back of her nightgown. She smirked at her reflection in the mirror when she heard Rowan stop.

“I wouldn’t call that decent,” he said once he’d got over his apparent shock.

Aelin quickly put her hair into a loose plait.

“Such delicate sensibilities, Mr Whitethorn,” Aelin said and she climbed into her side of the bed. Rowan was pointedly not looking at her. “I find it very hard to imagine that you’ve not had your fair share of love affairs. Me in a negligé cannot be the raciest thing you’ve ever seen.”

Rowan was silent. Staring at the ceiling.

“What? No way! With you’re physique? There’s no way you’re a virg - “

“I’m not Aelin,” Rowan snapped. “Why do you do this? Why can’t we ever just say goodnight and go to sleep?”

Rowan was facing her now, a look of exasperation on his face. She just grinned at him.

“Where would be the fun in that?”

Rowan tried so hard not to smile. He really did, and it only made Aelin smile more.

“I think you may be the death of me,” Rowan said, his lips cracking into that smile as he spoke.

The sight of that smile had something in Aelin’s chest flipping. She rolled over trying not to dwell on it.

“I certainly hope not,” Aelin said. “You forgot to turn the light off, by the way.”

Rowan let out an annoyed huff and but got up and turned the light off anyway. Neither of them said anything after that and Aelin was awake long after Rowan’s breathing had evened out in a way she knew he was asleep.

There was something keeping her awake, a sinking feeling in her gut. Maybe is wasn’t so much of a game anymore.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Laughing at me won’t end well.” - more Rowaelin 💕

When Aelin had left her apartment this morning she’d told Rowan that she would be back late. With meetings and parent/teacher interviews it had been a long and exhausting day. Tired and ready to curl up on the couch with a block of chocolate Aelin climbed the last few stairs. At least she’d been able to get all the permission notes back for the fire station excursion tomorrow.

Because of how late she was getting back she’d told Rowan to let himself whenever he felt like with his own set of keys for the padlock.

Aelin reached her door and said padlock was off the door so she walked right on in. She was surprised to see him still up.

“Hello,” he said as she walked past him.

Aelin answered with a, “Hey.”

She didn’t stop to chat, she was desperate to get out of her work clothes. They were some of her nicer, more professional pieces meaning they were twice as uncomfortable.

Aelin was a bit hasty in trying to get her shirt off and didn’t bother to undo it all the way. As she pulled it over her head it caught on her breasts and shoulders. She tried tugging it further up but it only wedged her in tighter. Pulling it down didn’t work either, she couldn’t manoeuvre her arms to do it.

Aelin swore. She only had one option. She’d have to ask her Rowan.

The thought of having to ask Rowan to help her out of her shirt was making heat rise to her cheeks. This was an embarrassing situation to say the least, but having one of the most handsome men she’d ever met help her out of her shirt out of necessity had her giving her shirt one more go.

It just helped in securing her arms in an awkward position above her head.

Aelin swallowed her pride.

“Rowan?” She called out. Nothing. She called out to him again. And again. Then finally she heard his footsteps arriving outside her bedroom door.

“Aelin, did you call me?” He asked through the door.

Aelin sighed. “Yeah. Can you come in?”

From what Aelin heard Rowan opened the door, she couldn’t see anything besides a white blur from the fabric of her blouse. He let out a surprised sound, almost a laugh.

Aelin cheeks heated further. “Laughing at me won’t end well.”

“I can do whatever I want with you stuck like that,” Rowan said, his voice thick with amusement. “My, my, how the tables have turned. What could you do anyway? Stop blindly with your feet?”

“Please help me out of my shirt Rowan. I’ve had enough of today and I just want to go to bed,” Aelin said.

Silence.

“Don’t you dare do this to me Rowan,” Aelin hissed. “Rowan?”

A chuckle right in front or her.

“Alright, I’ll get you out of there,” Rowan said.

When Rowan’s hands touched her she jumped a little, purely from the surprise of not being able to see. Then his hands were tugging at her shirt and Aelin huffed as she just got stuck further.

“You really wedged yourself in there good,” Rowan said, laughter lilting his words. “I may have to cut you out.”

“Don’t you dare. This is my best blouse,” Aelin bit out.

Rowan laughed and started tugging again, Aelin pulled against his movements. Everything tightened then sweet relief as the shirt rolled off her body.

Aelin shook out her shoulders and let out a sigh. “Thanks.”

Aelin instinctively looked down at herself and froze. She was naked from the waist up except for a white lacy bra. Slowly, so slowly, she looked up at Rowan.

He seemed as shocked as she was at the half naked revelation, but his eyes drank her in as they travelled up her body, eventually meeting her eyes.

Rutting hells she was in trouble.

There was something that looked very much like desire burning in his eyes but within a blink of an eye it was gone and he was handing her shirt back.

“You’re welcome,” Rowan said then he walked out closing the door behind him.

~~~~~

Rowan rubbed at his face. Aelin was so gods damned beautiful and he’d been ready show her just how beautiful he thought she was as she stood in front of him just now. That white lacy bra had left next to nothing to the imagination. Rowan raked his fingers through his hair.

Maybe he should duck home for a cold shower. A long, very cold shower.

He didn’t. Instead Rowan just went to the kitchen a got himself a glass of water, just for something to do.

Rowan could barely look at Aelin the rest of the night and thankfully she seemed too tired to provoke him any further tonight. But it didn’t stop Rowan from lying awake for gods knew how long because every time he closed his eyes he saw her and was running out of excuses to rein in his fraying self control.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Okay jk one more prompt: “That was kind of hot.” 😂 I can see this being a pun intended situation with Rowan being a firefighter hehe

Aelin was ready to shake off the awkwardness from the night before, if only just for her own peace of mind. Her kids had their excursion to the fire station and she wasn’t going to let her errant blouse ruin that for them.

When she’d realised she was standing there half naked in front of Rowan Aelin was glad she had been blessed with whatever amount of foresight that morning to put on a good bra. If Rowan was going to see her in such a state she was glad it was at her best.

It was also becoming blatantly obvious Rowan was into her, and more than just a little, and she wasn’t about to deny that she wasn’t _very_ attracted to him. But the thing was she wasn’t sure if she wanted to make the first move. It would be far more interesting to see how long it would take for her to break down Rowan’s unwavering resolve. She had a sneaking suspicion it was rapidly reaching its end.

What threw her plans out was that Rowan was already gone by the time she got up. So with a sigh Aelin threw back her covers and got ready for the day.

~~~~~

“You’re in early.”

Rowan tried to ignore the mischief dancing in Fenrys’s voice.

“Want to make sure everything is perfect for when your _friend_ gets here?” Fenrys asked, make sure to accentuate friend when he said it.

Rowan continued to ignore him.

“Come on Whitethorn, not just a little bite?”

The slamming of Rowan’s locker was his answer. Fenrys laughed.

“Feeling a little frustrated there, bud?”

If Fenrys had a talent it was to know exactly what would piss people off.

“If you haven’t been able to charm her maybe I’ll give it a go,” Fenrys mused to himself in a way that was begging, almost pleading, for a reaction.

“One day, Fenrys, someone is going to punch your teeth out and I hope I’m there to see it,” Rowan said as he made his way to the door.

Fenrys’s laughter chased him out the door and Rowan got as far away from it as he could before he was the one to punch Fenrys’s teeth out himself.

~~~~~

“Alright children you know the rules,” Aelin said as the minibus pulled to a stop. “You listen to all instructions and you don’t touch anything unless you’re told to. This isn’t a playground, this is a workplace and the things in there are used to help people. Understood?”

There was a lot of nodding and choruses ‘yes Miss G’. The kids were excited and ready to practically bounce off the bus.

“First instruction, when you get off line up beside the bus,” Aelin said as she stepped off the bus. There was a rush for the door as twenty 8 year olds made for the door. Elide would bring up the rear making sure everyone got off.

“Miss G?” Aelin heard beside her as she watched the last few kids get off the bus.

“Yes Benjamin,” Aelin said as Elide stepped down and the bus door closed.

“Do you think Fireman Whitethorn will answer my question? He didn’t get to last time,” Benjamin asked.

“Do not ask him that again,” Aelin said, her cheek involuntarily flushing.

Elide, of course didn’t miss a thing.

“What was the question?” She asked innocently.

“It was —“

“If you promise me that you will never repeat that question to anyone you can have a prize from the prize box.” Aelin wasn’t above bribery when it came to this.

“Without having to get 10 stickers?” Benjamin asked with wide eyes.

“Yep. Now line up please,” Aelin said.

“What was the question?” Elide asked again. Aelin ignored it. “Oh come on. If you’re trying to hide it that bad it’s something embarrassing. My imagination is running wild.”

“Nothing, lets get these kids off the street before we lose one,” Aelin said dismissively.

“I’ll find out, you know I will,” Elide taunted. Aelin didn’t doubt she would.

Aelin led her students towards the fire station, excited murmurs a constant behind her. She’d walked towards the big red doors that looked as if they led to the reception area. Aelin held the door back as they all filed in, she was sure at least half of them were about to explode.

“Hi everyone!”

Aelin turned to see Rowan standing by the door behind the large built in desk. Just about twenty voices chimed ‘hi’ back.

“Should we get started?” He asked with a charming smile.

Aelin let to door shut behind Elide as the door behind Rowan opened and another firefighter stepped through. Aelin recognised him as the friend she had met very briefly when Rowan had first installed the padlock on her door. She’d been so angry the first time she saw him Aelin hadn’t noticed how devastatingly beautiful he was.

“Alright guys, my name is Fenrys. If you’d like to follow me,” he said and walked back through the door.

The kids eagerly followed, leaving Aelin and Elide to follow up behind. Rowan joined them.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey yourself,” Aelin said then indicated to Elide. “You remember Elide right?”

Rowan nodded. “How’s it going?”

“So far so good,” she replied.

“Well I’m going to go help Fenrys out,” Rowan said a little awkwardly then went back to the front of the group.

“What happened?” Elide whispered.

“What do you mean what happened?” Aelin whispered back.

“That was super awkward.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Aelin said crossing her arms over her chest.

“Yeah okay,” Elide retorted sarcastically.

They followed where Fenrys and Rowan led, which was into the locker room.

“This is where we put our stuff while we work. This is my locker,” Rowan explained and opened it. There was a duffel bag and some toiletries in there Rowan leaving it open for a few moments before he closed it again. “We wouldn’t want your bags interfering with your day today, so find a safe place for your bags and then we’ll go see the the fire engines.”

There was a rush of movement and Rowan had to move out of the way as the majority of the kids piled their bags right in front of his locker. He didn’t seem to mind. He just smiled.

“That’s a little bit cute,” Elide muttered.

Aelin was inclined to agree.

Fenrys and Rowan took them out of the locker room and walked them to the fire engines in the garage. The kids were in awe of the big trucks.

There were a few other men moving around the trucks, two dark-haired one blonde. They were all impressively built.

“What is this place?” Elide muttered beside her as the men stopped what they were doing and started to line up. Aelin’s mouth fell open a little.

“Do they have to pass some kind of test?” Aelin mused.

Because as the five of them lined up… it was like they’d walked into a dream. A dream full of very handsome firefighters.

There was a man who looked identical to Fenrys, except where Fenrys hair was golden his was black. The man beside him had rich brown hair and eyes, he shot Aelin and Elide a dashing smile making the two women share a look. The last of the newcomers was older than the others looking to be maybe mid 40s instead of mid to late 20s like the rest of them. He had a kind face and something about it had Aelin looking a little more closely at him. When he looked at Aelin he did a double-take, an odd look on his face.

Rowan spoke drawing the attention of everyone in the room, distracting Aelin from musing further about the third man.

“This is Connall, Vaughan and Gavriel. We’re all going to show you different parts of the fire truck. We just need you in groups of four.”

To Aelin’s surprise the kids happily split themselves into groups in a few minutes. She thought she would have to divvy them up but they were all so excited that they didn’t really care who they were with. Gavriel took his group to the cab of the engine, Vaughan around the other side to show them what was hidden under the roller door, Connall showed them the hose, Fenrys working with him was going to explain the water tank, and Rowan showed them the suits that lined the wall. Aelin and Elide wandered around from group to group, making sure every one was behaving and to help move them along when it was time to. Aelin couldn’t keep the smile from her face, her students were loving it.

Every once and a while the siren would go off for half a second, making everyone jump and laugh a it blared in the small space. One of these times she was with Fenrys and Connall, holding up the hose. She had been intently listening to what Connall was saying that when the siren went off she stumbled back and let out a small yelp, her hand going to her chest. Fenrys was there with a steadying hand and her students laughed at her. 

“Just so you know we’re all extensively trained in first aid,” Fenrys said quietly as Connall continues his part of the presentation. “If you happen to pass out I hear my CPR technique is the best.”

Aelin looked at him, one eyebrow raised. “That’s your line?”

Fenrys shrugged and gave her a dashing smile. Aelin just laughed. Connall cleared his throat giving his brother a pointed look. 

“Oh, my turn? Alrighty. You see the water tank…” 

Aelin zoned out as Fenrys started his presentation handing off the hose to Connall. A glance to her left showed her Rowan looking at her as the kids in his group tried on various equipment. He looked away quickly but Aelin didn’t miss the look on his face. The look she was pretty sure was jealousy. Maybe it was time to pay Rowan a visit.

She sauntered over, arms crossed over her chest. Rowan didn’t acknowledge her when she stepped up beside him, but he obviously knew she was there. 

“These pants help protect us from the heat of the fire,” Rowan explained holding up the yellow pants. 

“How about you dress me up Fireman Whitethorn. Let the kids see the full get up,” Aelin suggested casually. The look he gave her was anything but, his mind no doubt flashing back to her undressing last night. Aelin gave him a knowing smile.

Rowan just shook his head a little before he said, “That sounds like a great idea.”

~~~~~

Rowan tried, he really had tried, not to get annoyed when Fenrys flirted with Aelin. When she had laughed at whatever stupid pick-up line he’d come up with it had broken his resolve. He knew it had been stupid line from the look on Aelin’s face, obviously finding it more amusing than anything. What got to him was knowing that Fenrys was doing it mostly to get a rise out of him. At least that’s what Rowan was telling himself. It was stupid to be jealous, they weren’t anything to each other, not roommates, barely even friends. 

That was a lie, on his part he definitely considered Aelin a friend now. A friend who was determined to torment him.

“Here start with the pants,” Rowan said as he went to pass them to Aelin. 

“If you would be so kind,” Aelin’s eyes darted to the group and back up.

Rowan sighed and knelt, laying down the pants so Aelin could step into them. As she did, she gripped his shoulder lightly making him shiver at the light contact. Then Rowan pulled them up by the suspenders which Aelin slipped her arms through. Next he put a hood on over her head, Rowan explaining that this kept things from falling into the suit like ash. Then there was the jacket and the helmet. Aelin shrugged on the jacket after Rowan had guided it onto her arms and placed the helmet gently onto her head. She grinned up at him from under the visor, completely dwarfed in his uniform. It was actually adorable.

“How do I look guys?” Aelin said twisting from one foot to the other. 

“I think Fireman Whitethorn would look better in it,” a girl chimed in.

Aelin looked at Rowan, that grin still on her face. “I think you’re absolutely right.”

~~~~~

After all the groups had seen all of the engine Rowan led them back into the main building. 

“We’re now heading out the back so we can show you some training drills,” He explained. “We’re about to go past the office of our Captain. He’s a bit grumpy so we need to keep quiet.” Rowan pressed a finger to his lips for emphasis. A few of the kids giggled.

They walked past said office and Aelin couldn’t help but look in. She stopped in the other side of the hall in the guise of supervising the children as they walked past, Elide beside her. A man with dark hair sat hunched over his desk, his face was harsh but he Aelin wouldn’t deny there was a handsomeness to it. Just another confirmation there was some kind of hotness test these firefighters needed to pass to work here. Aelin kept moving but Elide lingered for a moment more until Aelin said, “See something of interest, Elide?”

Startled out of her trance by Aelin’s words she started walking again, a faint blush on her cheeks. It was then the Captain looked up, his eyes darted from Aelin to Elide, where they lingered a little long for Aelin’s liking. Then his face turned into a scowl as the rest of the children passed. Aelin decided right then she didn’t like him very much.

Outside there was a large open space. There was a small building in one no doubt used for drills. Rowan stopped walking and like a row of little ducks so did the children. Fenrys and Connall appeared, holding a length of what looked like old hose. 

“Me and my team are going to set a fire and show you how we respond and put the fire out. This is completely controlled so you are all safe. But just to make sure Fenrys and Connall will be here, make sure you don’t go beyond the hose they are holding up.”

After his explanation Rowan went of to wear Gavriel and Vaughan were suiting up and did so as well. The twins held up the hose one at either end of line of students. Aelin stood behind them, watching intently for any runners.

“Jake, don’t even think about it,” Aelin said sternly as a little brown haired boy looked ready to cause mischief. He immediately settled and even went as far as to take a small step back from the hose. Good.

Vaughan went out to what looked like to me a pile of scrap wood, with a flick of his wrist and a lighter it was ablaze. He jogged back to the other and they went into action, pulling down the visors of their helmets and picking up the hose. Although it was over quickly, the drill was quite impressive to see. They worked efficiently as a team, positioning themselves and aiming the hose. Once the fire was out the class cheered. Aelin smiled at their enthusiasm. Then they demonstrated using a ladder and the hose against the building in the corner, without fire though, and then the how to do the classic stop drop and roll technique. Once again without actual flames which Aelin thought a little boring.

“Who wants to have a go of the hose?” Rowan asked as he came over, pulling off his jacket and helmet. Hands shot up and ‘me me me’ was said over and over again. Rowan just smiled. “Alright, we’re going to set up over there. While we do get into two lines.”

There was some bustling but eventually the kids sorted themselves out. Although when they saw that Rowan would be manning one of the hoses some of the kids jumped ship to his line. Connall manned the other but it seemed Rowan was a crowd favourite. 

“Benjamin, over to the other line,” Aelin said as she spied him looking a little to eager. 

“But –” 

“No buts, over you go. Help even up them up,” Aelin told him.

He sighed a little but did as instructed. 

“I still want to know what the question is that he’s so desperate to ask,” Elide muttered. Aelin chose not to answer.

What Rowan and Connall had them do was hose down two giant, bright orange road cones, their turn ending when they knocked them over. The whole class loved it and whined and complained once Rowan announced it was time to go back inside for lunch.

They went back to the locker room to collect their bags and then to the dining room, which also looked like it served meeting room as well. The kids scattered themselves around, pulling out their lunch boxes. Aelin went over to where Rowan stood supervising them.

“So, good job out there with the flames and everything. Very impressive,” she said. “That was kind of hot.”

Rowan choked on his bite of apple.

“I was talking about the fire,” Aelin said with a smirk.

Rowan just coughed some more. 

“What on earth did you think I was talking about?” Aelin said, voice oozing with sarcasm.

Rowan was saved from answering as the Captain walked in, his arms full of paper bags. There was a definite look of surprise of Rowan’s face as he walked towards them. He deposited the bags onto the large table before he came all the way over.

Rowan cleared his throat one last time. “This is Captain Salvaterre.”

The dark broody man just gave her a small nod, Aelin focused on keeping her face neutral, remembering the disdain on his face when saw her students.

“I guess I have you to thank for letting me bring the kids here, they’ve really enjoyed it,” Aelin said.

“Good, I’m glad.” He certainly didn’t sound it. 

Elide wandered over about then.

“Elide Lochan, my class aide,” Aelin said.

“Nice to meet you,” Captian Salvaterre said, and sounded sincere about it. He even went so far as to extend his hand for Elide to shake.

Aelin sent Rowan a questioning look but he seemed even more confused than she was.

Elide shook his hand, it dwarfed hers, but it was Aelin she addressed. “We should start packing up soon to meet the bus. I think someone else had it booked for this afternoon. A sport thing.”

Aelin glanced down at her watch. “You’re right. Get them to start packing up their bags.”

Elide nodded and started to move around the room. 

“Bags are for the kids,” the captain said then left without another word. 

“He’s charming, absolute prize that one,” Aelin said once he was out of earshot.

Rowan shrugged. “He’s not that bad once you get to know him.”

“I don’t think I want to,” Aelin replied, a look of something close to disgust on her face. “So I was thinking I’d get dinner for us tonight. As a thank you for today. I know a good Italian place that delivers.”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Rowan said, a small smile on his lips.

“Great. I’ll see you at home then?”

Rowan nodded. “I’ll see you at home.”

Aelin moved away to get her students ready before Rowan could see the smile on her own face. He liked the sound of him saying he was coming home to her. It also helped that she’d received a notification about an hour ago that her package had been delivered. Her plan was all coming together.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: 'Staring At The Other’s Lips, Trying Not To Kiss Them, Before Giving In' sounds very firefighter au to me, lol. eventually 😂

Aelin stopped by the post office on her way home to pick up her package. A very discreetly packaged package. She was already smiling at the thought of executing her plan. Parking in the underground carpark Aelin picked up the package from the passenger seat and got out of the car. A quick look around told her that Rowan wasn’t back yet. Good. That meant she had time to sort everything out before he arrived at her apartment for the night. Then Aelin started her ascent up the stairs.

Once she finished climbing the stairs and was in her apartment Aelin opened the package straight away. She opened one of the items giving the instructions a quick read before plugging it in to charge. I second item she took with her into the bathroom, still in the packaging and hid it in the laundry basket, stowing it for later use. Then she turned on the shower.

~~~~~

Rowan had had fun today, showing Aelin’s class around. They seemed like an alright bunch of kids and hadn’t caused any trouble, which hadn’t been the case with other school groups. After he’d finished work he had come straight home and showered. On his way out of the fire station he had been bombarded with question by his coworkers about Aelin, Vaughan had been very interested whether or not she was single. He’d dodged answering as long as he could before admitting that she didn’t have a significant other. The look on Fenrys’ face when he gave up the information was surprised, to say the least. Not at the fact that she was single, more the fact that Rowan didn’t say anything about his… feelings. 

Feelings that Rowan pushed far, far away from the surface as he knocked on Aelin’s door. She answered quickly, dressed in leggings and a loose tshirt. She smiled at him moved to let him in, which he did.

“What would you like to order? I love a good carbonara myself but I didn’t know if you were a red or white sauce person,” Aelin said as she sat on the couch. 

“Do you have a menu?” Rowan asked as he sat in the armchair.

Aelin passed him her phone and Rowan flicked through the options. 

“The marinara looks good,” Rowan said as he passed the phone back. Aelin made a face. “What?”

“I’m not a fan of seafood,” Aelin said, tapping at her phone. “But it’s done, should be about 40 minutes.”

“Sounds good,” Rowan said.

There were a few beats of awkward silence then it was Aelin who spoke.

“Your colleagues seem nice. You all make quite the handsome team,” a smile quirked Aelin’s lips upwards as Rowan felt his face flush a bit.

“Ah, thank you I guess?” Rowan said with a shrug.

Aelin took on a contemplative expression. “I’m yet to decide for myself who is the handsomest, but maybe if you tell me which of them might fancy me it might help with my decision.”

Rowan choked on a laugh. “I don’t think any of them would know what to do with you.”

Aelin grinned fiendishly, which brought out a full laugh from Rowan.

“So Captain Salvaterre,” Aelin said but Rowan cut in.

“Lorcan. He would definitely not be interested.” 

Aelin straight out scoffed. “What a stupid name, and trust me I’m not either. What’s his deal?”

“I just don’t think he was made to be friendly,” Rowan explained.

“He was certainly trying with Elide,” Aelin said, her voice conveying exactly what she thought about Lorcan’s niceness towards her friend. “You looked even more surprised than I was.”

“He doesn’t love the school visits so he’ll often use his position to hide in the office, so I was surprised to see he’d brought the freebie bags out for the kids.”

“Hmm I see. What about the blond one? Not the obnoxious one, the older one. What’s his story? He looks familiar but I can’t quite place how,” Aelin said.

At the mention of Fenrys Rowan blocked out the feelings of jealousy he felt at his blatant flirting, instead he focused on Aelin’s question. “Gavriel. He transferred to our station a few years ago, bit of a travelling fireman. He’s worked in a lot of places, this is his first stint in Terrasen though.”

Aelin nodded but it seemed his explanation didn’t help her place where she might recognise him from. 

After that they fell into easy conversation as they waited for their food to arrive. When it did Aelin went down stairs to grab it, by the time she came back up she was out of breath.

“I am never living in an apartment complex without an elevator ever again,” she said as she dropped the food onto the coffee table before heading to the kitchen for some cutlery. 

Rowan got the containers out of the bag, putting Aelin’s to the side as he cracked the lid open on his own. I smelled delicious. Aelin handed him a fork and he didn’t wait any longer before he started eating, Aelin doing the same once she sat down. They ate in silence, enjoying their food.

“Did you want to try some? It is really good,” Rowan asked.

Aelin eyed him sceptically.

Rowan put a mouthful together on his fork. “Here.”

Aelin shuffled over from the far end of the couch to be closer to him. Then she didn’t extend her hand to take the fork… No. She just opened her mouth. Rowan moved the fork and tried not to focus on the way her lips moved, how they might move against his.

Aelin’s sound of surprise snapped him out f his thoughts.

“You know what? That is pretty good,” she said, smiling. “Can I have a little more?”

They both ended up sharing their pastas, but Aelin definitely ate a good third of his, more than Rowan ate of hers. But he didn’t mind at all.

~~~~~

Aelin had definitely eaten too much. She hadn’t planned to, but both the pastas had been delicious. Afterwards they put on a movie but Aelin had pretty much spent the whole time ignoring it and scrolling through her phone. When it was over she switched the TV off. 

“Bedtime?”

Rowan nodded. “I’ll go get my stuff.”

Rowan left but Aelin stayed right where she was. She needed Rowan to be in bed first for her plan to work. Indeed, there was a look of surprise on his face as Aelin was just where he left him. She didn’t say anything as she practically skipped off to the bathroom. She pulled out the package she had hidden earlier and pulled out its contents. Aelin held out her prize before her and smiled. Then she brushed her teeth and combed out her hair before taking off her leggings and tshirt. Then she slipped on the nightgown that had fortuitously been delivered today. One final check in the mirror and Aelin made her way to the bedroom.

When she got to the doorway Rowan was on his phone. But becoming aware of her presence he started to look up.

“Starting Monday I’m swapping to night -” 

Rowan words died as he took her in, his eyes raking up her body, once, twice.

Aelin’s lips spread into a feline smile.

~~~~~

Rowan forget everything he was about to say as he took in Aelin standing in the doorway. She wore a nightgown of gold, metallic gold just as he’d requested. The silk clung to her body sinfully and she looked like a living flame.

“Do you like it? It’s new. Only delivered today and I couldn’t wait to wear it,” she said coyly. 

“It’s very… nice,” Rowan said through gritted teeth. Every second he looked at her another one of those fraying threads of his self control snapped. 

“Just nice?” Aelin stalked towards the bed.

 _Snap, snap, snap_ went the threads.

“Very nice.”

Aelin slipped between her sheets but didn’t bother to pull them up past her hips. Then she stretched, arching her back.

Rowan snapped his eyes away. If he looked any longer he might do something he might regret, not regret but maybe wasn’t ready for. So instead he turned off the light on the bedside table and rolled so he wasn’t facing her.

Aelin laughed, a soft breathy sound that had his own breath catching.

“Goodnight Rowan,” Aelin said and he could hear the smile in her voice.

“’Night,” was all Rowan could say back. Anything more, anything that would keep him interacting with her for much longer was going to snap those last few threads indefinitely.

~~~~~

A soft buzzing woke Aelin up. She had put her phone under her pillow so it would wake her, and only her. She unlocked it, opening the app she had downloaded yesterday afternoon. Aelin had tested it yesterday and hoped that it would still work this morning.

Then as softly and quietly as she could she slipped from the bed and crept around to Rowan’s side. His phone was on the bedside table which she picked up, then she opened the bottom drawer of the bedside table just a fraction. Then on catlike feet she left the bedroom. 

She dropped Rowan’s phone on the kitchen bench. Aelin really thought the nightgown would be his undoing, and she’d freely admit that she was surprised when it wasn’t. She was getting impatient and was contemplating putting her games aside and make the first move. Either way, she was not passing up the chance to use this joke on Rowan.

Aelin softly padded back to the doorway of her bedroom, leaning on the wall beside it. This was as far as far as she could get away from it, any further and it lost signal. Pulling up the app again and biting her bottom lip between her teeth Aelin pressed on. A dull vibrating noise sounded from the drawer, Aelin quickly changed the setting so it more closely mimicked Rowan’s alarm. She heard the bed shifting, and then Rowan groaning. Then he was slapping around on the bedside table as he searched for his phone. Finally, Aelin heard the bottom drawer roll open.

Rowan let out a surprised sound that almost sounded like a yelp, and Aelin bit down on her lip harder as he yelled a very frustrated utterance of her name. Then there was stomping and Rowan burst through the door.

His hair was mussed from sleep and he looked entirely too handsome as he searched for her. His eyes were blazing as he spotted her by the door.

“Seriously?” Was all he said and Aelin burst into laughter.

~~~~~

Aelin stood there leaning against the wall laughing. Laughing at her little joke that had him pulling a small vibrator from her bottom drawer just like she’d insinuated a few mornings ago. He saw the drawer open as in his sleep addled brain he assumed that his phone had fallen in. But it wasn’t his phone.

It was a little purple vibrator.

Aelin kept laughing, still wearing that nightgown that had him thinking all kinds of indecent things. But she looked beautiful, he face lit up by the happiness of her plan working out exactly as she wanted it to.

Rowan whirled on her, his hands bracing either side of her head. 

“You think you’re hilarious,” he said, his voice still a bit coarse from sleep.

She looked up at him, her laughter lessening, but her eyes still bright. “I know I’m hilarious.”

Then she smiled at him and the energy between them changed into something else, just like that. Rowan couldn’t help but look at those wicked lips of hers, as they quirked up at the corners so invitingly. The air around them became electric, crackling, just waiting for that spark to set them both on fire. Aelin must have felt it too because her eyes darted his lips and then back to his eyes, a challenge there.

“See something you like, Fireman Whitethorn?” Aelin asked him the same question she had the night he first burst through her door.

He did, he really did. Just like he had that first night. 

Rowan’s eyes slid down back to her lips, lingering there. In his mind he heard those last few strands of his self control snap. Then he was leaning into Aelin, a soft gasp slipping through those beautiful lips at the contact. He lent down, their lips so close he could almost taste her…

A loud banging on the door had him pushing away from her, the shock of the interruption killing the mood. The knock sounded again and Aelin’s face told him she was pissed off and was ready to rip the intruder to shreds. 

“Coming!” She yelled then disappeared into her bedroom for a moment.

When she came back out she was tying a robe around herself. She angrily pulled the lock from its place a flung the door open. 

There, in the doorway was their landlord, his unnervingly grey eyes taking in the scene before him.

Then he drawled, “I hope I’m not interrupting something.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Wanna like...I mean, if you're not busy... we could get lunch? Or just coffee if you don't have a lot of time?" firefighter au bish

Aelin was fuming. Arobynn Hamel, their oily snake of a landlord, stood in the doorway taking in the scene before him. She didn’t doubt he knew exactly who Rowan was, just like he knew who she was. He made it his business to know his tenants.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” He said, the smile on his lips made Aelin’s skin crawl. She was glad she’d grabbed the robe.

Aelin didn’t bother to hide her annoyance as she spoke to him.

“Mr Hamel,” Aelin all but growled.

“Please Arobynn is fine, I’ve told you so many times.” His gaze went to her door. “I just returned home and I had a lot of voicemails about how your door was broken. It seemed like an emergency so I thought I’d come and see what was needed to fix it.”

“Never mind it’s at 730 on a Saturday morning,” Aelin said.

Arobynn shrugged, “Like I said, it seemed like an emergency. Mr Whitethorn, isn’t it? Don’t live a few doors down? And it was you who left the messages?”

Arobynn stepped into the apartment to inspect the door, Aelin found herself instinctively moving back.

Rowan in turn stepped a bit closer to her and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes.”

From the tone of his voice it seemed Rowan was just as pissed as she was.

“I’m sure it’s an interesting story,” Arobynn drawled, “of how Mr Whitethorn came to be the one to inform me broken door and offer to pay for repairs.” He played with the flimsy sliding lock.

“Please inspect the door and inform me of the cost,” Rowan said, his voice flat.

Arobynn Hamel was a not a good landlord, but he also wasn’t a bad one. He kept the apartment building in such a state that it functioned and repairs were usually done in a timely manner, except when he went on a holiday and only left a note on his door informing his tenants, but never did he do anything above and beyond it was just what was needed.

His personality also left much to be desired. Arobynn always left Aelin feeling a bit slimy after their interactions. Especially now as his gaze shifted from the door to her, taking her in. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rowan stiffening.

Arobynn didn’t acknowledge anything and turned his attention back to the door and tsked, “I might have to replace the whole door. I’ll get some of my friends on it today, can’t having you living like this. You must be terrified to sleep at night.”

“Great, are you done?” Aelin snapped ignoring the quip about her sleeping.

Arobynn looked at her, eyebrows a little high. Aelin rolled her eyes.

“I suppose so,” he said sauntered back to the door. “I’ll be back very soon.”

Aelin was about ready to throw the landlord from her apartment but he backed out on his own and she didn’t even wait for a farewell before she shut the door on his face.

Aelin rubbed at her face letting out a frustrated sound onto the palms of her hands. Arobynn had thoroughly killed the mood, and from the sound of it he was coming back any second.

Aelin peeked through her fingers and saw Rowan rubbing at the back of his neck, probably feeling just as awkward as she was.

“Do you —“

Rowan’s words were cut off as a ringing sounded from the bedroom. Aelin swore and stormed off to her bedroom. Aedion’s name was flashing on the screen.

“What?” She barked at him.

“What’s got you so feisty first thing in the morning?” He said from the other side of the phone.

“I was about to have possibly the best lay of my life,” she whispered. “Just if you were wondering.”

There was a beat of silence. “Sorry for interrupting.”

Aelin sighed. “It wasn’t even you. Arobynn turned up just as things were getting interesting.”

Aedion let out a low whistle. “That’s terrible. I was just calling to check if you were still on for breakfast.”

Aelin slapped her palm to her forehead. She’d totally forgotten. Aedion was about to head to Wendlyn for 2 weeks and they’d planned to do a breakfast before he had to flew out in the afternoon.

“Yes of course,” Aelin said.

“I don’t want to get on the way of your… plans,” Aedion said and she could hear the smirk in his voice.

“My asshole landlord has already gotten in the way of that. Speaking of, can you bring it here? I don’t want his gross minions in my apartment unattended.”

“Yeah okay. Is your friend going to stay?” Aedion asked.

Aelin turned to her open door, she couldn’t see Rowan, but hadn’t heard the door open so he was most likely sitting in the couch or something. Aelin sighed.

“Maybe.”

“I’ll get some extra stuff anyway, if he doesn’t stay you can drown your sorrows in extra pastries. Bye,” Aedion said.

“Bye.” With that, Aelin hung up.

Taking a deep breath Aelin stepped out of her bedroom and as she suspected Rowan was on the couch. He heard her and stood up.

Before he could say anything she said, “My cousin is coming over, he’s headed to Wendlyn for work today so we’re having breakfast.”

“Oh,” Rowan said quietly. “I don’t want to intrude on that, I’ll go.”

Rowan approached her, when he was close enough he grabbed her hand his thumb running over the back of it.

“You can stay, if you want,” Aelin said a little hopefully.

Rowan shook his head, “I don’t think I’m ready to meet the family.”

Aelin supposed that was fair, it was already awkward enough. Then Rowan let go of her hand and continued walking right past her to get his stuff from the bedroom. Aelin shook her head at the disappointment in her gut. The plans she had had for that bed and the two of them this morning.

Aelin phone started buzzing in her hand again this time _Asshole Landlord_ lighting up the screen.

She ignored it. She would call back in a minute.

Rowan walked by her again, all the way to the door. But he stopped and turned around, his free hand running through his hair. He was most definitely nervous.

“Wanna like…I mean, if you’re not busy… we could get lunch?” Rowan asked.

Aelin swore the gods were working against her, laughing at her disastrous timing.

“I’ve got to take my cousin to the airport,” Aelin said, her voice pained.

“Or maybe just coffee if you don’t have a lot of time?” Rowan offered again.

Aelin smiled a little. At least he was being persistent.

“Yeah that would be good,” Aelin said. “I’ll let you know.”

Rowan smiled and nodded before he walked out the door. Again, Aelin’s phone rang. Arobynn calling again. Aelin took a deep breath and schooled her voice into passable civility.

“Hello, Arobynn. What’s happening with my door?”


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Also, this (fireman au of course): “Did you honestly think that was going to impress me?” ❤️

Rowan didn’t end up getting coffee with Aelin on Saturday. Or even Sunday.

She’d texted apologising profusely that Lysandra was taking Aedion’s departure a little hard and had begged for Aelin to keep her company. She had also told him that her door had been fixed that morning. A few of Arobynn’s “friends” had come by, luckily while her cousin and friend were there and fixed the door. This was confirmed by the text Rowan had received with the exuberant bill for the damages. Rowan was both surprised and disappointed it had been done so quickly. His excuse for staying in her apartment, for spending time with Aelin, to finish what they started this morning, blew away like a puff of smoke right before his eyes. But he supposed it was for the best with the swap to night shift.

He was sitting on the couch in his apartment when he got a text that just felt like a nail in his coffin.

_**Hey. Lys wants to stay tonight and do a girls day tomorrow which I would love to do after a hectic week at work. You don’t mind if we put off coffee for another day?** _

Rowan cursed himself. He never actually told Aelin about his shift swapping over.

**_I’m switching to night shift this week. I think it’s going to be hard to try and match our schedules up._ **

Her reply took a few minutes to come through.

**_You’re not getting off that easy Fireman Whitethorn. We’ll think of something._ **

~~~~~

It wasn’t until Wednesday that they saw each other and it was entirely by chance.

Rowan was at the local shopping mall at a stand selling their annual charity calendars. They were always very popular purchase with his team filling half the pages, even more so when they sold them in person. Their shirtless photos were always done in good humour, Fenrys’ and Vaughan’s a little more provocative than the rest, but it was for a good cause. This year they had even been able to wrangle Lorcan into posing.

Aelin was walking with a girl with red-gold hair, maybe about 11 years old. Rowan spotted them first and watched as Aelin said something that had the girl laughing. Behind him Rowan heard Fenrys try and charm gods knew who into buying a calendar but Rowan had forgotten why exactly he was there as he watched Aelin come closer and closer.

Then she saw him. Her face split into a wide grin as she made right for him.

“Well, hello there Fireman Whitethorn,” Aelin said.

“Hey,” was his short and pretty damned awkward reply. Aelin blessedly let it slide.

Instead she indicated to the girl beside her. m,n“This is my friend Evangeline. Evangeline this is Rowan, he lives a few doors down from me.”

“Hi,” the girl said a bit shyly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. It was then Rowan noticed the faint scars on her cheeks, what remained of some very deep scratches. Aelin noticed what he was looking at and quickly shifted his focus.

“What has you out of the fire station?” Aelin asked peering over his shoulder.

Rowan’s cheeks heated. That seemed to only pique Aelin’s interest. She stepped around him, looking at the signage and the pile of calendars on the stable. Aelin gave him a smile that had her top teeth showing with her bottom lip under it, her eyes were bright with gods knew what. She picked up a calendar and flicked through it nodding and smiling at what she saw.

“Very nice,” she said. Then she flicked through again a touch slower. “Very nice.”

Evangeline giggled and Rowan felt his blush deepen.

“Miss Galathynius, its a pleasure to see you!” Fenrys had finally noticed who was visiting.

“Mr… I don’t think I’ve ever caught your last name,” Aelin replied.

“It’s Moonbeam,”

Aelin straight out snorted. “It is not.”

“Would I lie to you?” Fenrys said with a grin.

“I expect so,” Aelin indicated to Evangeline again. “This is Fenrys. He is also a firefighter.”

Fenrys, ever the charmer, gave Evangeline a small bow which had her blushing and smiling furiously.

“So, a calendar. For charity,” Aelin said to Rowan. “Looking at its contents, I assume they sell pretty well.” Aelin made a slow and deliberate show of turning to his photo, looking at it with what he hoped was false scrutiny, then she turned the calendar to face him so Rowan was looking at his shirtless, oiled, broody-faced self. “Did you honestly think that was going to impress me?”

Rowan shrugged, hope he appeared confident than he felt. Because he hoped that it did.

“So humble,” Aelin said as she looked at the back of the calendar. “I think I’ll but one.”

Rowan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Make that two. I think I may know someone who will enjoy this almost as much as me,” Aelin said as she pulled out her wallet. Rowan in turned picked up the wireless card payment device.

Aelin tapped her card on it and it beeped then she picked up her extra calendar and tucked it under her arm.

“Who’d you get?” Rowan asked but Aelin just looked a little confused. “For your birthday month?”

“I usually have man take me on date before I give him such personal information,” Aelin said tauntingly, that promise of coffee still at the forefront of both their minds apparently.

“Suppose I’ll have to remember that,” Rowan said as he passed Aelin her receipt.

Aelin smiled, her fingers brushing his as she took it from him. “I suppose so.”

Aelin said goodbye to Fenrys, Evangeline gave a wave to them both, and then they were gone.

~~~~~

Aelin put her bags and calendars on the kitchen bench. She put the stuff in the fridge before going back to then her calendar, flicking it over to the month of May. It wasn’t actually May, not even close, but Rowan’s photo was too delicious to hide away for so long. Then she picked up a pen and wrote a note in the box with a the number three in the corner.

_My birthday._


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "You can call me whenever you want. Even if you don't have a reason to." F I R E F I G H T E R A U

Rowan stared at his phone. He had Aelin’s number up and he had been debating with for a while himself whether or not to call her. He just wanted to hear her voice, maybe finally set up that date, but he kept chickening out. It was nearing 10 o’clock. She’d be heading to bed soon if she wasn’t already there.

This shift swap had come at the worst time, he couldn’t stop thinking about what might have been if he didn’t have to come into work. Where he would be right now, what he might be doing. The sudden vibrating in his hand made Rowan jump so violently he almost dropped his phone. A quick glance at it had him momentarily stunned when he saw the caller ID.

It was Aelin.

Fast as he possibly could he answered.

“Hello.”

“Should you be answering your phone while on duty?” Aelin asked him, her tone playful.

“Yeah its fine, just as long as I hang up straight away if we get a call out,” Rowan explained.

“Ohhh. Good,” Aelin said and Rowan was sure she was smiling. “I’m calling just to see if there was anything you wanted to ask me.”

Rowan knew what she meant, but he wouldn’t give into her that easily.

“Who was that girl I saw you with yesterday?” Rowan asked, leaning back in his chair.

“Ha ha, you think you’re so funny,” Aelin said sarcastically. “She and Lysandra were in the same foster home, Lysandra aged out but Evangeline hasn’t been so lucky yet. Lysandra has been trying to get custody for a while, but she still visits and helps her as much as she can.”

“That’s really nice of her,” Rowan said. “I know that doesn’t sound very sincere but I do mean it.”

“She’s a great kid. We all do what we can,” Aelin replied. There were a few beats of silence. “So?”

“‘So’ what?”

Aelin cleared her throat into the phone.

“Why don’t you just tell me what you want me to ask you Aelin?”

“Why don’t you ask me what I’m wearing, isn’t that how these conversations usually go?”

Rowan chuckled and he heard Aelin’s breathy laugh in response to him.

“I’m sure if i did you would only say something that’s entirely inappropriate,” Rowan said.

“Do you really think that little of me, Rowan?” Aelin said, disgruntled.

“I think that you like to torment me,” Rowan said.

Aelin hummed into the phone. “It’s not the gold, just so you know.”

At her mention of that gold nightgown Rowan’s mind wandered back to the sight of Aelin in that doorway, utterly gorgeous. He should have kissed her right then.

“You still with me?”

Aelin’s voice brought him back to the present and tired of games.

“Saturday, you want to get lunch with me?” Rowan said at last.

He was sure she would be grinning to herself.

“Not dinner? What happened to the coffee?” Aelin asked coyly.

“Lunch is sooner than dinner, I’m tired of waiting. And coffee is too short,” Rowan explained.

“Whitethorn, I need you to check the tank,” Lorcan barked from somewhere.

“He sounds so pleasant, so polite,” Aelin said obviously hearing Lorcan’s order over the phone.

Rowan laughed, “I better go. I was about to call you, when you called me.”

“Really? I’m sorry I beat you to it.”

There were a few beats of silence, neither of them wanting to hang up.

“You know, you can call me whenever you want. Even if you don’t have a reason to,” Aelin’s voice was softer, almost shy, as she said the words. As if she was unsure it was the right thing to say.

“Whitethorn!”

“I’ve got to go,” Rowan said. “I’ll keep that in mind, though. Bye.”

“Goodnight Rowan.”

Then Aelin hung up and Rowan couldn’t wipe the stupid grin from his face as he went to check the water tank on the fire engine. His phone buzzed with the arrival of a text message and Rowan expected to see a text from Aelin. His smile disappeared as he saw who had texted him, the last person he’d expected it be from.

~~~~~

Aelin hung up the phone, her bottom caught between her teeth as she smiled. She’d called Rowan on a whim, missing him and impatient to finally set up their date. It was a little too quiet without his company which Aelin had become used to over his chivalrous stay. If Rowan had asked what she was wearing Aelin honestly didn’t know how she would have answered. She was wearing his grey tshirt she had quietly stolen and had no intentions of giving back, and she was worried telling him might compromise that. Out of sight, out of mind is what Aelin was counting on. She let out a contented sigh and put her pone on the bedside table and smiled. Saturday couldn’t come quick enough.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "Apparently all our friends have a bet going that we end up together" dare i say ,,, firefighter au.

It was finally Friday. This week had felt like it had dragged on for a year. One reason being that it was approaching the end of term and kids were starting to lose it just a little. And another reason was because Aelin was desperately waiting for her date with Rowan. His swap to night shift had really thrown a spanner into her plans. If he’d kept to the day shifts who’s knows where they’d be by now.

As Aelin thought about it she let out a heavy sigh leaning on the bar she sat at, waiting for her friends to arrive. She had left school almost as soon as the bell had rung, she wasn’t waiting around to be roped into something. Aelin had grabbed her bag and went out the back gate just to be safe. She’d ordered a soda while waiting, she didn’t want to get in too deep tonight. She had her lunch date with Rowan tomorrow and Aelin wanted to be at her best for it. Which meant no hangovers.

 _Date_. They were finally going on a date.

Aelin smiled and spun on the stool so she could watch the door. Surely Lysandra and Elide would be here soon. The door opened and Aelin sat up a bit when she saw who it was.

Rowan brushed a hand through his hair and looked around the bar, when his eyes met her he gave her a hesitant smile. Aelin tried to return it but she was just a little too confused as to why he was here. Rowan just walked right up to her.

“Hey,” he said

“Hey yourself,” Aelin putting her drink on the bar.

“You get off early?” He asked.

“Not really, you starting late?” She asked him in turn.

“Not really, I start work in an hour. I’m just meeting a friend.” Rowan almost stumbled over the last word.

There was a sinking feeling in Aelin’s stomach. Why hadn’t the two of them met like this yet? They’d been so desperate for each, so desperate to meet up, why hadn’t they’d work something out in their small windows of opportunity? To be fair it may have been too painful, too tantalising. Maybe it was better that they just wait until they could do it right.

“You know what I overheard last night?” Rowan said as he leaned on bar next to her. They was a humorous glint in his eye that had Aelin intrigued.

“What did you overhear last night?”

“Apparently all my friends have a bet going that we end up together,” Rowan said a smile quirking the corner of his lips.

“Do they now?” Aelin said, her own smile turning a bit feline.

“They do. I thought maybe scoping out who has the most to make and making a deal with them,” Rowan said.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, tell the bastards about us on which ever day the biggest payout is and get a cut of the money,” Rowan explained.

Aelin tilted her head back and laughed, making Rowan’s smile spread to all his mouth.

“I don’t intend to wait until whatever date, just to be clear. I have absolutely no qualms about lying to them,” Rowan said.

“I guess you have your mission for tonight then,” Aelin whispered leaning in a bit closer. Rowan’s eyes flitted from her eyes to her lips.

“Rowan?”

A soft, and distinctly feminine voice, said his name and it had him pulling away from Aelin, too quick to be casual. That sinking feeling returned to Aelin’s stomach she turned towards the newcomer. Aelin took her in. She was pretty, with long dark brown hair and chestnut eyes, she looked confident even though she had no doubt witnessed their moment just now.

“Hello Lyria,” Rowan said. Just like that that sizzling energy between her and Rowan vanished. Aelin could tell, she knew this woman was something to Rowan, from the way he had almost shied away from her when the dark haired woman had arrived. And it stung.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said glancing between Aelin and Rowan.

Movement from the corner of her eye caught Aelin’s attention. Blessedly Lysandra and Elide had just walked in, practically dragging a very petulant looking Manon with them. They had arrived just in time to save Aelin from whatever hell this situation was about to turn into.

“My friends are here, I better go,” Aelin said as she grabbed her glass.

Before she could slide off the stool Rowan grabbed her free hand.

“Talk later?” Rowan’s eyed tried to convey something, whatever it was Aelin couldn’t read it.

“Yeah, maybe,” was all she said before she pulled her hand from his and went to the booth where her saviours were now waiting.

Aelin didn’t turn around to look at what Rowan was doing now, but Lysandra certainly was and made no show of hiding it.

“Is that —“

“Yes,” Aelin said as she sat down.

“Why is he with her?” Lysandra asked.

“I don’t know,’ Aelin said sucking on her straw.

“I thought he was chasing you,” Lysandra said shifting her focus to Aelin.

Aelin sighed. “Me too.”

Manon had been sitting back arms across her chest but she perked up as she heard the conversation.

“Wait, what is going on here? Why is your snack over there talking to a woman who is not you?”

“He’s not my snack,” Aelin said. Then she snuck a glance at Rowan, he and the dark haired woman were both laughing.

“Whatever you want to call him,” Manon said with a wave of her hand, her silver painted nails catching the light. “Why isn’t that you?”

“We have a date tomorrow,” Aelin said.

“Then why is he meeting her today?” Manon asked.

“You know you’re not really making me feel any better about this,” Aelin mumbled.

“I’m sure there’s a perfectly good explanation,” Elide chimed in, ever the voice reason.

“Then why didn’t he tell you about her?” Manon said. “They look pretty chummy to me.”

No one, it seemed, had an answer for that.

“I hate you,” Aelin whispered.

Lysandra’s face tightened as she kept her eyes on Rowan. Aelin turned and saw Rowan and Lyria were leaving, much earlier than she had expected them to.

“They’re probably off to get naked,” Manon mused.

Lysandra barked a laugh. “They are not. It’s 4 in the afternoon.”

“He’s on a tight schedule,” Aelin said.

“Which is why he probably didn’t have time to tell about meeting his friend,” Elide’s voice sounded a little exasperated.

Manon made a noise that told everyone she did not agree with Elide’s statement.

“Why are you here?” Aelin snapped at her.

Manon didn’t say anything, she just disappeared from the table. When she returned she carried a tray of shots.

“To get you drunk apparently.”

~~~~~

“It was good to see you boys,” Lyria said as she stood. “But I’ll let you get to work.”

Lyria said goodbye to Rowan and his team before going to the door, then she turned.

“Oh and Rowan, good luck,” Lyria said with a smile before ducking out the door.

“Good luck with what?” Connall asked almost immediately.

“Ah, she saw me and Aelin at the bar,” Rowan said with a shrug.

“Wait what?” Fenrys said. “You were with Aelin at the bar where you had told Lyria to meet you.”

“Yes, just by chance,” Rowan said, not quite understanding what Fenrys was getting at.

But it was Vaughan who laughed and answered. “So the girl you’ve been chasing sees you meeting another girl at a bar, who you are very comfortable with, and you think she’s fine with that?”

“I don’t have to be into every girl I’m alone with, unlike you. But also it’s Lyria,” Rowan said, still a little perplexed.

“Rowan, does Aelin know who Lyria is?” Fenrys asked.

Rowan quickly ran though his conversations he’d had with Aelin. She’d told him about Sam and he had… no he hadn’t. He had meant to say something, share some of his vulnerability and pain with her but then Aelin had distracted him and he never had. Aelin didn’t know who Lyria was.

“No,” Rowan said quietly.

Then Aelin’s parting words rang in his head.

_Yeah, maybe…_

“She thinks…” Rowan groaned.

“Yeah, she probably thinks you’re running multiple girls,” Fenrys said with a shrug.

Rowan didn’t wait to hear anymore of their commentary, he was out of the room and calling Aelin. She didn’t pick up. Over and over. He sent her a text asking her to call him. But nothing.

Then hours into his shift he got a text that made him feel sick.

**_Somethings come up. I can’t do lunch tomorrow._ **

It took everything in Rowan not to throw phone at the wall.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: idk if you already have something for how theyre gonna make up in the firefighter au but "the power goes out in our apartment building, but i’m not prepared for this, and you come to check on me" would be perfect im just sayin........

Aelin’s head was pounding.

She wasn’t in her bed, but she wasn’t in an unfamiliar bed either. Lysandra was still asleep beside her and would probably feel just as bad as Aelin did once she woke up. The drunker she had got last night the more pissed she was at Rowan for meeting some woman at the bar. The bar that was just down from their apartments, the bar he could have met her at all week apparently if only they had talked about it a little more. But she she had been looking forward that big grand date. Sure it was just lunch but it was the romantic gesture of it.

But instead he’d decided to meet another girl. A friend. A very good friend from the looks of it. Elide had been the voice of reason the whole time, telling Aelin not to overreact, but Manon had been the opposite. The things she said weren’t said maliciously, only pragmatically offering the negative to Elide’s positive. They had been like a demon and an angel on Aelin’s shoulders all night. From the headache Aelin was feeling the demon had fed her already foul mood and won it seemed.Then Aelin hadn’t wanted to go back to her apartment so she’d come home with Lysandra instead. 

With a groan Aelin rolled over and grabbed her phone. It was already quarter past 11, if she hadn’t cancelled her plans with Rowan she would be frantically getting ready right now for their date. That at least she remembered. Sending the text to Rowan when her confusion over who the dark haired woman had been had won over any other reasoning.

Why hadn’t he just told her?

Aelin scrolled through her notifications and saw the numerous missed calls from Rowan and a few texts. She checked her call log as saw that there was one outgoing call from her to him. Then her body stilled as she remembered something else she’d done and then covered her face with her hands.

_Aelin pulled out her phone, everyone had gone somewhere else and she was minding their booth. She was going to do it. The thing that everyone had told her not to, even Manon. Manon thought there was definitely something more to the new woman than met the eye and even she had discouraged Aelin from doing this. She’d already sent the text cancelling lunch, but that wasn’t enough. She did’t want him to think she was done with him, it might just break her heart._

_Stupid gorgeous Rowan, with his easy smiles and laughter with a girl that wasn’t her._

_She tapped his name and put the phone to her ear. It only rang twice before he answered._

_“Hello, Aelin. Are you alright?”_

_“Heeey Rowan,” Aelin had said. “I’m fine.”_

_“That’s good, it’s almost two in the morning so i was a little worried,” was Rowan’s reply._

_Aelin had hummed at that. “So chivalrous.”_

_“I think you should hang up Aelin,” Rowan said._

_Aelin shook her head even though he couldn’t see her. “I want to say something. I need to say something. I need you to know this. I told Manon you weren’t my snack. I was right of course, you’re not. But I don’t want you to be anyone else’s”_

_There was silence on both ends of the phone._

_“You need to hang up, Aelin. Talk to me when you’re sober,” Rowan’s voice had been kind but firm._

_“But —”_

_“No buts. I’ll talk to you soon. I’ll do the chivalrous thing and hang up for you.”_

_Then he hung up._

Aelin pulled the pillow she had been sleeping on from under her head and buried her face in it and let out a frustrated noise, not caring if Lysandra was awake or not. She evidently was when an arm that did not belong to Aelin thumped on top of the pillow. Aelin lifted it a little and peeked out to where her best friend lay.

“What did you do?” Lysandra asked.

“Something stupid, real stupid,” Aelin said. Aelin told Lysandra’s what she had done and when she finished her friend cackled.

“I’m sorry,” Lysandra said, still laughing a little. “It’s just, you two get so close then something just happens to get in the way. And you calling him and saying that… well at least he knows now.”

Aelin let out a heavy sigh. “What do I do now then?”

“We go to brunch, then once you no longer feel like there’s a herd of rhinos in your head we’ll work it out.”

~~~~~

After the events of the night before Rowan had decided it would be best to keep busy today and not in his apartment, where he would no doubt we waiting for sounds of Aelin’s return. After snatching a few hours of sleep he’d knocked on Aelin’s door in the mid morning but there had been no answer. He guessed she hadn’t come home last night or was out again.

Instead he wandered around the mall for a few hours, buying a couple of pairs of new jeans and a few shirts.Then he’d gone over and hung out at Fenrys’ and Connall’s house staying there for dinner but left soon after.

It was raining on the drive home, the sound soothing and monotonous on his wind shield. Aelin cancelling lunch had left a weight in Rowan’s chest, mainly because of his own stupidity. He had meant to tell Aelin about Lyria, he really had.

That was the one thought that kept running through his head, what had kept him awake even though he was bone tired. He’d been so caught up in Aelin that he hadn’t even thought about any other woman when he was with her. Aelin had bewitched him and he would gladly fall under her spell again and again.

Rowan pulled into the underground parking garage and drove straight into his parking spot. As he closed the door of his truck he remembered how Aelin had plastic wrapped it, making him half an hour late for work because he had to cut his way through. At the time Rowan had been fuming, so angry at Aelin for that silly prank. But now it only made him laugh.

Aelin had a wicked sense of humour and quicker wit. She was smart and beautiful, kind and compassionate. Rowan was hesitant to admit she was perfect but she came pretty godsdamned close. He hoped this slip up with Lyria hadn’t ruined his chances with her.

He was sure it hadn’t. Aelin had called him, wasted drunk, and he got the heavy hiny that she did want him.

Rowan reached the landing of his floor and made for his apartment. As he passed Aelin’s door he heard music playing and Rowan smiled. She was home, all Rowan needed was an excuse to drop by. He tried to think of one as he unlocked his door. He could maybe take over dessert? No, he’d have to go out and get something, there was nothing in his fridge or freezer. Dinner was out too. It was well after dinner time and he’d eaten already anyway. He didn’t have anything of hers to return. Rowan went into his bedroom, ripping the tags off his new clothes before dropping them in the basket.

Just then his entire apartment went dark and stayed that way. Power outage, pretty common in this building when it was raining. This was perfect, like for once in his life the gods were on his side. Well, maybe at least just one of them. He grabbed his phone from where it lay on the bed and flicked on the torch. Working as a firefighter Rowan was pretty well equipped when it came to emergency situations. We went to the cupboard where he stored emergency items, pulling out the torches and small portable lanterns before chucking them into the shopping bag from earlier.

Then Rowan went back into his bedroom and swapped his jeans for a pair of sweatpants, grabbed his keys and phone and left.

~~~~~

Aelin was lying on her couch messing around on her phone while music played in her apartment when the room had gone dark and the music cut out on the speaker and started playing on her phone. It was just another thing to go wrong. She’d gone to Rowan’s earlier with some ice cream but there’d been no answer so she’d come back here to mope. She’d been so stupid last night, calling him and telling him that. And she most likely had been wrong about the woman at the bar. When the lights had gone out she used the light on her phone to light the two candles that she had and laid back down on the couch, her phone on her chest. Maybe she should just call him.

Aelin picked up her phone again to do just that when there was a knock on the door. She she adjusted the robe she had slipped on over her gold nightgown, putting it on earlier to make herself feel a bit better. The rain had cooled her apartment down just enough that she was just a little too cold to wear it by itself. It was just by coincidence she didn’t have to run back into her room to grab it so she didn’t answer the door half naked.

But when she opened the door, Aelin had to admit to herself that she kind of wish she had left the robe off. Because it was Rowan Whitethorn at her door.

Aelin was a little shocked to see him, but not at all disappointed. Rowan smiled at her and she smiled right back, albeit a small one considering she was still embarrassed by her drunken phone call.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” Aelin said back to him.

“I just wanted to check if you alright with the power out.” Rowan held up a bag of something Aelin couldn’t make out in the dim light.

“You’ve come to check on me?” Aelin said with a smile still playing on her lips.

“I’m very well prepared working in emergency services, I thought you might like some light in your home,” Rowan said as he took out a torch and turned it on.

Aelin didn’t say anything else, she just moved aside and to let Rowan into her apartment.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Firefighter AU: "There's a lot more to you than I had thought"

Rowan put the bag of lights on the coffee table and pulled some out. Aelin, on the other hand, went to the kitchen using her phone to light the way.

“Would you like a drink? I’ve got some iced tea. I was about to have a glass before the power went out,” Aelin explained indicating to the jug on the bench.

“That sounds nice,” Rowan said as he turned on one of the lanterns and brought another to the kitchen. He lent on the bench as Aelin pulled out some glasses. There were a few beats of painfully awkward silence. This was not going as he had planned. Rowan was inwardly forming his next sentence when Aelin spoke.

“Rowan, about last night,” she sucked in a deep breath and looked away from him as she began to pour the tea into the glasses.

“No please, let me go first,” Rowan said and took in a deep breath of his own. “The woman who met me at the bar, her name is Lyria and she’s my ex.”

“You’re ex?” Aelin asked, one brow raised, but she didn’t look at him and just filled the next glass.

“Yeah,” Rowan said and Aelin looked at him now as she passed him his drink. “Ex-wife.”

Aelin fumbled the glass in the pass, Rowan managed to get it before it smashed to the ground but saving the glass sacrificed his shirt. Aelin gasped then grabbed a tea towel from where it hung on the oven and was frantically trying to soak it up.

“I’m so sorry,” Aelin said, hands pressing on his abs. She seemed to realise exactly what she was doing right in that moment and left the towel to him.

“It’s fine,” Rowan said as he took over trying to soak up some of the tea while Aelin poured him another glass.

“Just… ex-wife was a little bit of a shock.” This time Aelin slid the glass along the bench. “Go home and change.”

Rowan shook his head. “I think I’d rather just get this out.”

Aelin took a sip of her drink and nodded. Rowan made for the couch and Aelin followed him and sat down just as he did. Close but, but not close enough to touch.

“We were high school sweethearts. All the cliches you can imagine, that was us. Anyway, we were young and stupid. Lyria got pregnant just after we graduated and her parents were old fashioned and fairly religious, so they flipped out pretty hard when they found out. So, I thought I’d do the right thing by her and proposed. It was a very quick engagement, we got married as soon as we could. Then just after we got married Lyria miscarried, we’d done everything so quickly that it was still very early, not even four months. But it was still very hard on the both of us, we’d imagined a life together and then it was gone.”

“I’m sorry,” Aelin said quietly.

Rowan shrugged. “It was for the best. We realised we’d only got married for the baby and that really we weren’t right for each other in the long run. We divorced just before our first anniversary, but we’ve stayed good friends. She texted me Thursday night, just after I finished talking to you, saying she was passing through Orynth and wanted to catch up with me and the boys.” Aelin gave him a questioning look. “Over the years she’s became friends them.”

“Oh,” Aelin said as she put her glass down on the coffee table. “So that’s where you went, to see them at work.”

“Yeah, she didn’t know her way around town so I told her to meet me at the bar and then we’d go from there.” Rowan said, then it was silent again. “I meant to tell you about Lyria earlier. It just never really came up. And I have to admit that you are very distracting.”

Aelin looked at him, a coy smile on her face. “Is that all I am?”

Rowan looked at Aelin, his eyes connecting with hers.

“No,” Rowan said quietly, he put his glass on the coffee table next to Aelin’s then he reached out to tuck Aelin’s hair behind her ear. Aelin’s eyes tracked the movements. “You are beautiful, intelligent, with a wicked sense of humour. There’s a lot more to you than I thought.”

Aelin shifted closer, “Beautiful, hmm?”

Rowan huffed a small laugh, of course that was the thing Aelin had chosen to focus on. “And crude and obnoxious, and you probably have the most vanity of anyone I’ve ever met.”

Aelin laughed and Rowan would be happy if it was the last thing he’d ever heard, it made him feel alive and he wanted to do everything that he could to hear it over and over again. He was utterly mesmerised by her.

The only thing that distracted him was the damp shirt clinging to his chest and stomach.

“I should head home and clean up.”

He stood and started to move towards the door. He didn’t want to go, but he also didn’t want to sit around in a wet shirt either.

“Wait,” was all Aelin said as she too got up from the couch and then dashed off to her bedroom, her robe trailing after her.

Rowan did as she asked, stopping by the door. She came out of the bedroom holding something and in the dim lights he couldn’t tell what it was. It wasn’t until she was right in front of him and handing him something that he realised what it was. His grey T-shirt. He’d been wondering where it had got too.

“Thanks,” Rowan said.

Then without even thinking he took off his damp shirt, using the dry parts to wipe away any of the remaining moisture from himself. As he slipped on his T-shirt Aelin had given him he realised that it smelled like her, a citrusy, floral scent. She had been wearing it. The scent was too strong for it to be anything else. The realisation hit him so hard he paused, his fingers fumbling as he pulled on the hem of his shirt. Once he had it on he saw that Aelin hadn’t moved. She stood there in front of him, drinking him in. The sleeve of her robe had fallen off her shoulder revealing the strap of her nightgown. Her gold nightgown.

The gravity of Rowan’s universe shifted, his entire focus centring on Aelin as she took one, then two steps towards him, her hand coming between them and resting on his chest.

“Don’t go.”

~~~~~

When Rowan had said he was leaving Aelin had panicked. She didn’t want Rowan to leave, gods she wanted him to stay so bad her stomach was sinking just at the thought of him leaving her. So she’d given him the stolen T-shirt. She was loathe to part with it but if it kept Rowan in her apartment she’d gladly make the sacrifice.

The Rowan had stripped off right there in front on her, his perfectly chiselled torso right there in front of her. Any restraint Aelin had burned away, her desire for him like a flame under a rope scorching away each thread until she snapped. He wasn’t leaving, not if Aelin could help it. She’d crossed that distance between them and lay her had on his chest. She didn’t know if the thudding she felt was his heart or her own pulse pounding in her body.

“Don’t go.”

Rowan looked down at her, his expression unreadable.

“Why?” Rowan asked.

“Because I don’t want you to,” she said to him.

Aelin stepped closer, not touching but close enough she could feel the heat radiating off Rowan’s body.

“Why?” He said again, his voice a near growl. But Rowan knew exactly why because it was his hands tugging at the tie of her robe.

Aelin let him. Then she let the robe fall open as Rowan gently brushed it aside so he could see what she wore beneath it. So slowly, Rowan took her in, taking his time to look at her until his eyes met hers.

“Is it because you want me to be your snack?” Rowan eyes glinted with mischief, and his lips quirked into an arrogant smirk.

“You bast —“

Aelin didn’t get to finish her insult because Rowan’s lips crashed onto hers, silencing her so effectively. His hands immediately went to her waist, tugging her flush against him. Her hand remained on his chest while the other slid over his shoulder and up his neck pushing his mouth harder against hers. This… this was unlike anything she had experienced before.

It was as if the all those matches they had been striking these weeks had finally sparked and now Aelin was deliciously burning. Everywhere Rowan touched her was sparking beneath his touch, every shift of his hands, his lips, Aelin thought she might die from it as she burned like a wildfire. He spun them so that she was now pinned against the door, the damned door that brought them together all those weeks ago. It was like ice against her back and the sensation made her gasp. Rowan took that opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. Too much, it was all too much and it had Aelin losing all sense as she moaned into his mouth. The sound seemed to be his unleashing and his hands slid down from her waist to her thighs and he lifted her up. Aelin laughed as he did, Rowan’s lips exploring her neck.

“Rowan,” her voice a soft and breathy sound.

Rowan looked up at her, his gaze soft and his lips softer as he kissed her once, twice, the second lingering.

“Aelin, I…” Then Rowan leaned back and yawned.

Aelin’s brows rose, “I’m trying real hard not to be offended.”

Rowan kissed her again. “As much as I would like this to continue, I’ve only had about three hours of sleep. Someone cancelled our date because I was an godsdamned idiot and I’ve not been able to relax since.”

“I’m glad you see where the blame lies,” Aelin said draping both her arms around Rowans neck. Rowan pinched her thigh, making her hiss. “Fine. I guess I overreacted. I’m free tomorrow though.”

“You sure? No girls day? No work commitments?” Rowan asked.

Aelin smirked. “No dates with other women?”

Rowan laughed and unceremoniously dropped Aelin’s legs from beneath her, but his hands were instantly on her waist, steadying her. “It wasn’t a date, we went through this. Tomorrow, lunch?”

Aelin nodded, with a smile.

Rowan lent in, brushing his nose against hers. Aelin’s eyes fluttered waiting for the kiss but it didn’t come.

Rowan only whispered, “It’s a date.”

~~~~~

Rowan was… he didn’t know what he was. All he knew is that kissing Aelin, touching her, made him feel alive in a way he hadn’t felt in a very long time. He would like nothing more than to sweep her away to her bed and worship her in every way imaginable but his body was betraying him. A long hard week at work and then so little sleep had him feeling as if he wouldn’t last another ten minutes.

He reached for the door handle but Aelin beat him to it.

“Aelin,” he groaned.

“Stay. Please,” Aelin said, looking at him from beneath her lashes. “I promise, no funny business. I want you to be able to keep up with me anyway old man. Just please stay.”

“Old man?” Rowan scoffed. “I’m not that much older than you.”

“Old enough it seems,” Aelin said.

“Maybe I’m just being chivalrous and want to take you on a date before I ravish you,” Rowan said as he leaned in closer, “thoroughly.”

Even in the low light Rowan could see the flush on Aelin’s cheek at the promise. Rowan yawned again and swore.

Aelin tipped her head back and laughed. “Come on.”

She took his hand, leading him to her bedroom. Rowan watched as Aelin slipped off her robe, watching him watch her. Then she slipped beneath her blankets.

“It’s going to be a bit creepy if you stand there staring all night,” Aelin said as she settled onto her pillow.

Rowan took the hint and went around to the other side of the bed and he pulled the sheets back and without hesitation got into bed beside Aelin. They moved almost simultaneously, him reaching for her and Aelin snuggling into his side. She looked up at him and he pressed a lingering kiss to her lips.

“Good night,” Aelin whispered, leaning her head above his heart.

Rowan just smiled, the sound of the rain lulling him to sleep within moments.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Okay this one can be used earlier in the story (soon maybe?): “I’ve been waiting to get to know you from the moment I first saw you.” - more Rowaelin fireman au please ❤️

Rowan woke up to an empty bed, and for a moment he thought last night might have been a dream. Then he realised whose bed he was in and saw a note neatly folded on Aelin’s pillow.

_I’ve gone for a run. I expect you to be gone by the time I get back. I’ve got a hot date to get ready for._

Rowan smiled and got out of bed, the smile was from knowing he was her hot date.

On the kitchen bench there was a pen and Rowan used the blank side of Aelin’s note to write his own. Then he gathered the lights he’d brought over the night before and locked Aelin’s door behind him as he left.

~~~~~

Even though it was Sunday morning Aelin had woken up fairly early. Rowan had looked so peaceful as he slept beside her so she’d snuck out of the bedroom, grabbing her running clothes as she did. Before she left she’d dropped a note on her pillow, taken on last lingering look at the beautiful man in her bed, and left.

Before Aelin set off she called Lysandra, then started at her warm up pace. It almost rung out before Lysandra answered and she clearly wasn’t happy about it.

“You better be dying,” Lysandra said hoarsely.

“I’m not dying. But you just might when I tell you what happened last night,” Aelin said and then told Lysandra exactly what had happened between her and Rowan.

Lysandra was squealing by the end. “Finally!”

Aelin just laughed, “So what do I wear?”

Lysandra went through various outfits, Aelin giving a few one word answers as she picked up her pace. It took a while but they finally agreed on what would be the perfect outfit for her lunch date.

“Good luck,” Lysandra sang into the phone as she hung up.

Aelin had decided that she’d gone far enough and started home. She was only slightly out of breath by the time she unlocked her door. The bag of lights were gone from the coffee table so Aelin assumed that Rowan was gone, but she checked her bed anyway to be sure. On her way to the shower she saw a slip of paper on the kitchen counter.

_Kingsflame Cafe 1130. I’ll see you there._

Aelin grinned. She thought they’d go from here, together. But she approved of this idea. Aelin did like to make a good entrance.

~~~~~

Rowan was nervous, even though he had absolutely no reason to be. After that kiss last night there was no doubt left whether or not their feelings were mutual. Aelin had been the one to ask him to stay but Rowan had been the one to start the kiss. 

He’d told Aelin to meet him here because he wanted to get her flowers from the florist two doors down. If they had arrived together the whole buying process would have been awkward. Instead he’d arrived at the cafe 10 minutes early, went to the florist and picked out a small bouquet of flowers that he thought would look nice on her coffee table and come back to the cafe to get a table.

Then he waited, 5 minutes, 10. He got nervous when it approach 15 but then the door opened and there she was. Aelin breezed in, confident and beautiful, wearing a blue floral dress that wrapped around her and to float about her knees as she moved. Her hair was swept away from her face but was mostly left out as it tumbled over her shoulders. Aelin looked around for him and when she spotted him her blush pink painted lips spread into a smile.

Rowan stood without thinking and Aelin walked right up to him placed a hand on his chest and kissed him, so softly it was barely a whisper of a kiss. Rowan’s hand had gone to Aelin’s waist and she smiled at him as she pulled away.

“Again?” Rowan asked, his hand squeezing her waist.

Aelin only took a step back. “Make this a good date and you’ll get the rest.”

Rowan’s hand tightened on her waist, Aelin only smiled innocently up at him. He let go and picked up the flowers from the table.

“For you.”

Aelin looked genuinely surprised as she took the small bouquet from him, a delighted surprise.

“Thank you,” she said and sat down.

Rowan sat as well and watched as Aelin moved aside the salt and pepper to make room for the flowers. They looked over the menus and the waiter came over and took their order, then they were left to themselves to wait for their food.

“So,” Rowan said.

“So,” Aelin copied, leaning her elbows on the table.

“How was your run this morning?” Rowan asked, leaning forward as well.

“Refreshing, I love the smell of the air after rain,” Aelin said.

“Petrichor.”

“What?” Aelin said tilting her head a little.

“That’s was its called, the smell after rain,” Rowan explained.

“Is that right?” Aelin said.

Rowan chuckled, “Yes.”

“I never picked you as a man for fancy words,” Aelin said.

“What did you pick me as then?” Rowan asked.

“Very boring. Probably would only ever read biographies, but the ones about to dullest men imaginable, the blandest beige food palette, no sense of humour at all,” Aelin listed off.

Rowan lent back in his chair. “When did you decide all this?”

Aelin sighed. “I’m not sure exactly. Maybe it was when you refused to smile at me all those times we passed on the stairs.”

“Well maybe it you hadn’t thrown obnoxiously loud parties every other weekend when you first moved in I would have been more willing to smile,” Rowan countered.

“It was summer holidays and a lot of my friends are teachers, it’s what we do,” Aelin said in her defence. “What about me? What did you pick me as?”

“You?” Well,” Rowan leaned forward and took Aelin’s hand, “I’ve been waiting to get to know you from the moment I first saw you.”

It wasn’t a lie. The day she moved in he’d come home and there she was carrying a box and struggling to open her door, he had helped her and she had given him a dazzling in smile in thanks.

Aelin’s flushed, an adorable blush on her cheeks. “Why didn’t make your move earlier then?”

“You opened that depraved mouth of yours and I changed my mind.”

Aelin tipped her head back and laughed, her golden hair falling down her back. “What?”

“I accidentally parked you in just after you moved in,” Rowan said. “You went off.”

Aelin’s brows furrowed for a moment and then she smiled as she obviously remembered.

“You don’t accidentally park someone in,” Aelin said.

“I just had to run upstairs and someone else was in my spot, one of your friends I recall,” Rowan said. “Your main excuse for ranting at me was that your pizza was getting cold.”

“I was on my way to pick it up and was running late,” Aelin said with a shrug as if that excused her behaviour of yelling at him.

Rowan let out an disbelieving laugh “You are…”

“I’m what?” Aelin leaned forward again and tightened her grip on his hand.

“I’m just glad I broke down your door so that I could get to know you better,” Rowan said softly.

Aelin bit her bottom lip and she smiled at him.

“I think,” Rowan said as he lent over the table, Aelin instinctively lent in too.

“Yes?” She whispered.

“I think I see something I like.”

Rowan closed the distance between them and he could feel Aelin’s smile on his lips as he kissed her. Then there was someone clearing their throat beside them and Rowan reluctantly pulled away. The waiter stood there with there food and quickly put it down and walked away.

Rowan saw the blush on Aelin’s cheeks, and knew his own were flushed as well. But he didn’t care. Finally he let go of her hand and picked up his cutlery.

“Alright Fireman Whitethorn, do your worst. Get to know me better.”

While they ate Rowan asked Aelin any and every question that came to his mind, and she did the same for him. They laughed and smiled at each other, caught in the thrill of getting to know someone new. A while after they had finished eating Aelin and beckoned him closer and given him a long lingering kiss. Rowan go the message and paid the bill. Aelin was waiting at the door, her small bouquet in one hand but she link her other hand with his while they started their walk back to their apartment building.

Rowan couldn’t wait that long to kiss her again though, and stopped suddenly. When Aelin turned to ask him what he was doing he didn’t give her a chance to ask before his lips were on hers. Someone muttered an ‘excuse me’ and it was then Rowan realised they’d stopped right in the middle of the footpath.

Rowan scowled. “I swear if we get interrupted on more time…”

Aelin just laughed as she led them on. “Come on. I’ve got and fancy new lock on my apartment door thanks to some bubbling idiot.”

Rowan smiled as she tugged on his hand. Breaking down Aelin’s door was to best mistake he would ever make in his entire life.


End file.
